Kaiten
by Bluenara
Summary: Hinata is seven, and there are three things she knows about herself: she is always alone, because she doesn't deserve love; she is worthless, because she can't do anything right. She is a monster, because she failed her family and got them all killed. However, can she break the chains of fate? [AU-The Hyūga are wiped out instead of the Uchiha. No bashing! SakuHina/HinaSaku. Abuse.]
1. ARC I (Haru) - Kodoku

**A.N.:** Hello! This story is a total experiment that has been lingering in my head for months. Nowhere near the level of insanity of _Barebones_ , this story's measly T rating might fool you. While there is a lot of fluff 'n all, there's a couple things for you down here.

 _Initial AU premises:_ Neji a few years older. For reasons to be explained, the Hyūga are wiped out, not the Uchiha. Due to ripple effect, Hinata never meets Naruto on the way to the Academy, so she is mostly oblivious to his existence.

 _Warnings:_ child abuse/bullying, yuri, somewhat graphic violence, mild sexual themes.

 _Length:_ four arcs, twelve chapters, somewhere in the 50K-100K words range.

 _Discaimer:_ Naruto doesn't belong to me. The world will never know the horror...

I hope to explain the abuse/yuri with storytelling, but rest assured, I'll try my best to justify it in a sensible manner. I don't do bashing, folks, and I think that Hinata/Sakura are potrayed as mostly heterosexual, so they'll need development to get there. Besides, I'm going to try to represent characters as the people they are - so no holding back punches when it comes to their flaws and mistakes.

Any and all opinions are welcome, and I appreciate detail!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **.| ARC I |** Haru **| CHAPTER 1 |** Kodoku **|.**

* * *

It takes everything she has in her to contain a scream. Hinata curls into herself, hands instinctively flying to her head to protect her body, using her legs to shield her torso. The motion makes her whimper, as the stabbing pain from the broken rib sends her reeling into a bloody coughing fit.

They will go away, she just has to stay very still. There is an edge here: if she stifles her cries too much, they will try harder, thinking she's trying to play tough (Hinata never does that, because she knows she's worth nothing). She just has to give them what they want, but not too much - she has noticed that they seem to become desensitized, and then they do even more damage.

The middleground is what she is aiming for. It's not great, it's not a victory, but it will get her out of here.

"Freak! They should pluck your eyes out!"

Hinata shuts her eyelids fearfully, because who knows if they would dare? Would anyone stop them, if they tried? Granted, the other kids never beat her up in presence of a teacher… but not a single sensei ever stopped the _other_ things they did, unless it was utterly blatant. And with shinobi in training, the majority of her peers already know how to be sneaky.

She never, ever fights back. She doesn't deserve the chance.

Calling out for help is useless; even if someone cared about her, even if someone (for reasons beyond her) looked past all her failures and flaws, they probably wouldn't dare to help her. They have good reason, after all.

Hinata is seven, and there are three things she knows about herself: she is always alone, because she doesn't deserve love; she is worthless, because she can't do anything right.

She is a monster, because she failed her family and got them all killed.

* * *

Sakura Haruno is a pretty little thing. Her worst nightmare is embarrassing herself in front of other people, especially Sasuke (or his scary older brother… who might also be kind of appealing). Her list of worries throughout the day include: getting her hair tousled up by taijutsu spars, getting her clothes dirty in the survival drills and being victim of one of Naruto's pranks.

If he thinks he can break her in and make her his girlfriend like that, he's sorely mistaken. He seems to be under the impression that, if it works to attract the attention of his instructors and Konoha's general populace, it also works on girls. The knucklehead will just have to learn-

Argh! There she goes again, thinking about him. She isn't going to give in, no, sir. She swears on her shinobi pride ( _haha, what a joke_ ) to resist these underhanded techniques, as if they were part of another interrogation test, and then focuses again on her exam.

It's really easy, she thinks. Just calculating kunai trajectory. Iruka-sensei said that, for those who want extra points, there is also a problem that includes ninja wire to the equations. She is altogether too eager to solve it. Nervously, she looks around - Sasuke seems to be taking his time with the test. He is fast, but not as fast as she is.

Naturally, this makes her feel bad, so she always tries to slow down. If only he knew how much she cares! She will show him, one day...

She sighs dreamily, and then nearly bites her tongue when a ball of paper bonks her head from behind. It's not out of surprise, but seething rage, that she clenches her teeth and closes her eyes. Okay, maybe she also flinched a little, it _did_ startle her.

"Naruto…!" she hisses in a low voice. She doesn't want her teacher to hear her… She hates breaking the rules and calling attention on herself like that.

The same can't be said for the ultimate idiot that sits behind her, much to her chagrin.

"That's me!" he bellows, and she is sure that someone that loud should be gagged. It has to be against regulations to be so noisy as a ninja. It's amazing that he manages to get away with all his pranks. Sakura can feel the eyes of her classmates settling dangerously close to her, and hurries in trying to look engrossed with her writing.

Her hands are slightly twitchy, though, and in her head echo chants of _Please don't let Sasuke-kun notice me, not like this, not like this…!_

"Naruto! Be quiet!"

Sakura mentally thanks Iruka-sensei, and tries to wash off the violent thoughts that plague her mind. She doesn't like fighting people. No, really, she doesn't - Naruto is a sole exception for her. It makes her uncomfortable to think about it too much ( _you're a ninja, you're gonna have to kill people_ ), so she just shoves it aside and powers through, knowing that as long as Sasuke-kun is on her side, everything will be alright.

She believes it wholeheartedly.

Naruto shuts up after that, and she goes back to focusing on her exam, a blush on her cheeks and daydreams in her heart. Altogether too soon, she finishes both the standard questions and the extra one. Sakura bites her lips, craning her head to take a peek at Sasuke. She hopes that her eyes are hidden by her pink bangs.

He's still only halfway through. _Dammit_.

She is torn - on the one hand, she wants to get as far away from Naruto as humanly possible, and since she is a responsible girl, her teachers usually let her go to the schoolyard to read after the exams. She always has too much spare time. On the other hand, she doesn't want to finish way before Sasuke-kun does. It would be unladylike of her to do that…

With nothing else to do, she looks around the room to see what her classmates are doing. Shikamaru is napping, _of course_. Ino is sitting next to him, and she seems to be stuck on the eighth question. She was never good with geometry, really. Sakura feels her pride swell and rise - this is the one thing in which she can beat Ino!

Her eyes sweep through her peers carefully - none of them are even close to finishing. She notices an empty seat, and her mind digs up the name attached to it.

 _Hinata_.

The only things Sakura knows about her are that she is easy to startle, really quiet and even more shy than that. She always wears baggy clothes that hide the majority of her body, which is rather intriguing. Is she pretty? Maybe she's trying to hide herself because she is shy…

Distantly, Sakura notes that she used to be like that before she met Ino. Out of habit, one of her hands strays to her hair, caressing the red ribbon that holds it in place. It always soothes her, the soft texture of the cloth running easily under her fingers.

Maybe she should talk to Hinata? Or get Ino to do it, as she is still much more confident than Sakura herself is… A little voice in her head whispers, venomously, that maybe she shouldn't help Hinata. What if Sasuke starts to pay attention to her because she's prettier? That wouldn't do.

She raps her pen against the table absentmindedly, feeling slightly anxious. She hasn't made any moves on Sasuke yet… It's still too embarrassing to think of it, but she swears that she will. One day. It really wouldn't do to bring in more competition before she even starts.

Behind her, she hears the tell-tale sound of paper being crumpled up. _Oh, no, not again, Naruto!_ Hastily, she steals a glance towards Sasuke - he's almost done by now. Good enough!

Sakura jumps to her feet, pushing her chair noisily and then wincing in eternal mortification. The entire class is looking at her now, but at least Naruto stopped. Sadly, that happens to be the very last of her concerns right now.

"I-um… I'm done," she blurts out, lowering her head in shame. She avoids closing her eyes as if expecting a blow - she can almost hear the laughter. However, the class remains silent. It's almost worse, because she doesn't want to look and find them staring at her. She especially avoids Sasuke-kun and Ino.

Iruka raises an eyebrow, puzzled, thoughts knitting behind his wide gaze. Sakura gulps, feeling scrutinized. Her muscles tense unconsciously, and her first instinct is to bolt out of sight. She must pass the silent test, because Iruka merely shrugs and nods. Relieved, she picks up her papers and walks over to her teacher.

He seems to be working on grading some papers from last week, and she tries to sneak a peek to her own grades, but no luck. Iruka has perfectly concealed the results of his evaluations, like the good shinobi he is. Sometimes, she forgets that her teacher is still a ninja.

Sakura feels the pressure of the class start to dissipate as they return their attention to their own exams, and she sighs in relief. The imagined voices full of accusation and mockery quieten down, though her fingers are still painfully clamped on the papers. It takes conscious effort to let go, and she can feel Iruka's eyes on her.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" he whispers, confidentially. She is glad that he has a sense of privacy, much unlike Naru- no, she won't think of him! Iruka's eyes seem to be focused on the grimace drawn on her face, and maybe even the sweat in her palms.

Sakura freezes for a moment, considering saying something against it to avoid making a scene, but finally she drops her head, shoulders sagging.

"I'm a little bit nervous," she admits, grudgingly. "Naruto is a pest," the girl adds, scrunching up her eyebrows in distaste. It's not a full explanation, but he takes it as one.

Iruka smiles with fondness, but he doesn't deny her claim. In fact, Sakura is almost sure that he just resisted the urge to nod.

"You can go outside and read," he indulges her, before she can ask. Sakura blushes a little bit, and her teacher merely smiles. Unless a certain Uzumaki is being loud and annoying, Iruka is by far the nicest teacher she has.

"Actually…" Sakura fiddles with the hem of her dress, stealing a nervous glance towards Hinata's seat. She feels tiny pinprick of worry and guilt for her earlier thoughts. Hinata never misses class… what if she's sick? Besides, she feels too antsy - on edge, even. She would much rather walk around than stay still. "Should I go looking for Hinata? So she won't miss the assignments for today."

Iruka's eyebrows raise in surprise, and for a few agonizing moments Sakura feels the pressure of his gaze on her. She really, really wants to go away from everyone right now. Normally, if a student gets sick, the teachers are the ones to check up on them. However, she knows that he hasn't left the classroom since the morning - today was heavy on history and chakra theory, and they haven't had a break yet.

"That's an odd request," he muses, rubbing his fingers against his chin, considering the idea. "Well, you're a responsible student, so I know I can entrust you with this task," Iruka determines, nodding slightly. His lips are pulled by a half-smile, one that almost feels prideful. "Do you know where she lives?"

Sakura's brows furrow in concentration; personally, she doesn't. She has never really talked to Hinata. However, she knows that her surname is Hyūga - so maybe she lives at the old compound? Her mind instantly brings up the maps of Konoha that she memorized. Most students would just learn the evacuation routes, tunnels and bunkers, but she went the extra mile to impress her teachers. She knows where it is.

Iruka seems to be awaiting her answer, almost as if this was a class question, and Sakura musters enough courage to say it: "The Hyūga compound." Her teacher's smile grows even more.

"Very well, Sakura. I'll be expecting you to be back here by the end of the hour."

She nods a tad too fast, and then pretty much bolts out of the classroom. No one bats an eye, as they are used to this. There is trepidation in her chest, but she pushes past her nervousness and shakily closes the door behind her. The hallways are empty at this hour - she can only hear the distant sound of training drills in the schoolyard.

Her hands go to her chest, meeting and squeezing each other tightly. Sakura remembers what Ino told her about demeanor and posture, and hastily removes them from there. One of her fingers still caresses the bow on her head out of habit, but it's a fleeting action. Her chest still feels tight and her breathing is quick, shallow, as she takes the steps towards the exit.

It's really bright outside, the midday sun glinting on the buildings of Konoha. Far away, the trees of the surrounding forest and the groves scattered through the village sway in the gentle breeze. Summer is barely edging around the corner, but the air is warm and clean. Sakura takes a deep breath, letting the sunlight wash over her skin, her body still feels slightly clammy with sweat.

Sakura takes a deep breath, unclenching her hands and letting them fall by her sides. The walk to the compound is at least twenty minutes, as long as she doesn't get lost. Well, if she really needs to, she can just ask one of the policemen for directions. She hopes it won't come to that, though; most people from the Uchiha clan are stern-faced and cold, and nearly ninety percent of the Military Police are from that clan.

Talking to them never fails to make her uneasy, it always feels like she is being judged and looked down on.

Sasuke said he wants to be one of them, just like his older brother, instead of joining the normal shinobi ranks. Sakura has studied the topic, obviously, because she wants to go wherever he goes. Apprenticeship normally starts at fourteen, at the very least, and aspirants are only eligible if they have at least twenty missions under their belt… as chūnin.

It's gruelling work, and only the very best are even considered for it. Even though the Police is based in Konoha and rarely deals with tasks outside the village, they are in charge of keeping _shinobi_ in check. Their own peers. Protecting the civilians and coordinating their defenses in case of a security breach, keeping tabs on their fellow ninja to ensure there won't be traitors, patrolling… those tasks might not seem as deadly as high-ranked missions, but there is pressure for those positions.

It's not just their lives on the line - the core stability of the village depends on peace being maintained. It's much more complicated than going on a mission while carrying sensitive information.

She isn't entirely sure that she can make the cut. Her theoretical abilities (analysation, problem-solving and memorisation) are very good, but her physical grades are… less than desirable. It makes her fidget sometimes, but she'll figure something out.

After all, she is eight. Most of her days are spent worrying about trivial things, and her only plan for the future is to stay close to Sasuke-kun.

Soon, the leisurely walk starts to relax her and draw her thoughts away from such grim places; at this hour, Konoha is mostly deserted. Most villagers are working. Only old people and housewives wander the streets, mostly shopping and chatting amicably with each other.

Some shinobi on leave jump across the roofs, but they're so fast that she barely notices them.

Konoha is a colorful, chaotic village. The streets tend to make no sense at all, twisting and mixing like worms in a fisherman's bucket. Thankfully, she knows them decently well, and so her walk only lasts fifteen minutes, after which she finds herself at the entrance of the Hyūga compound. Her celebration for having good orientation skills doesn't last.

The heavy doors loom ominously over her, and she feels unsure about how to proceed. Is she supposed to knock? She lingers under the marquee for a few moments, and then raises a hesitant hand towards the stylish, dragon-shaped knocker.

There is no answer, as there are no guards, but she finds out that the door is actually open. Right, that makes sense. Hinata wouldn't be able to receive guests properly, otherwise. She pushes it open, feeling vaguely embarrassed, and then steps onto the main pathway of the compound. Sakura holds back a surprised gasp.

Despite the outward appearance of the compound, the interior shows clear signs of abandonment. The grass and trees haven't been tended to in years, leaving them wilder than they should look like. The main building awaits her in eerie silence, and Sakura gulps as discreetly as she can.

It's not like there is anyone who can see her, except maybe Hinata, or so she tells herself.

She looks back, nervously, almost hoping to see Iruka come and tell her that she doesn't really have to walk into the empty compound. That she can go back to class now. Of course, it doesn't happen, so she apprehensively continues her path towards the main entrance.

The sound of the knocker almost startles her. It feels alien in a place so still, and Sakura feels like she doesn't belong here at all. Her instinct tells her to bolt outside through the gates and say that she didn't find Hinata, but her slight curiosity makes her push forward.

There is an awkwardly long silence, full of expectation and tension, but there are no sounds coming from the gloomy manor. She starts considering a second try after a few minutes, because maybe Hinata didn't hear it, but then she catches it.

A slight creak on the floorboards inside.

She winces, ready to spring into a run for her life, though her mind forgets to adopt the Academy stance for it. Her heart almost stops when she hears a meek voice on the other side of the solid wood door.

"Y-yes?"

 _Why isn't she opening the door?_ is her first, slightly frustrated thought. Sakura is nervous again, and any little thing could set her off. Mentally slapping herself for her derailed thoughts, she straightens up and summons the best voice she can manage for this.

"Hinata-san, I'm Sakura Haruno. Iruka-sensei sent me to give you the assignments for today," she recites, proud of having rehearsed it well enough. Even if she is rather jittery, Sakura managed to say it just fine.

"Oh…" Hinata's whisper is barely audible, but finally, she opens the heavy door. It doesn't make a creak, much unlike what Sakura had expected. Behind it stands the small girl that she has come to look for. "P-please… come in," she mutters, stumbling over her own steps in her hasty efforts to get out of the way. She nearly falls to the ground, barely catching herself on the handle of the door, and Sakura raises her eyebrows minutely.

For a Hyūga, Hinata sure is clumsy.

She takes a moment to examine her classmate - Hinata's face is slightly red, her body language almost defensive as she seemingly tries to hide behind the door. Her eyes are cast downward, her gaze firmly glued somewhere near Sakura's feet. It's hard to tell what her body looks like, because she always hides it under a bulky coat (ugly, in her opinion).

Upon noticing that she is being watched, Hinata's eyes dart upwards immediately and she jumps back a little. _Scaredy cat_. Sakura blushes, noticing that she has been caught staring, and then tries to clear her throat, curling a fist in front of her lips to seem less rude.

"Are you sick, Hinata? You don't usually miss class," she states, trying not to fumble with the words. This whole thing feels like a social _faux pas_ , and she is glad that Ino isn't here to tell her that with her slightly derisive tone. At least, by saying this she can explain why she was looking so intently.

Hinata bites her lower lip and moves her gaze to Sakura's shoulders, which at least is some progress.

"I- I... A little," she admits, and Sakura notes that her voice sounds oddly hoarse. The gears turn in her head, forming a perfectly reasonable theory for this.

"Wow, even with that coat you caught a cold?" Sakura blurts out, and then she nearly smacks her own forehead. That came out a lot worse than it sounded in her mind.

Hinata nods with a jerky motion and tears her eyes away, and then she finally seems to remember that the door should be closed, so they can step inside. Sakura barely hears her calling to follow deeper into the ominous hallway. It's a tad too dark for her own comfort, but Hinata doesn't seem to mind, so she isn't going to say anything about it.

A house so big shouldn't be this quiet and empty, Sakura muses. It's creepy, and the thought that Hinata lives here all by herself… It just doesn't sit right with her.

Hinata leads her to one of the visitor's rooms, and then mumbles out and apology and something about drinks. Ten minutes later, she is back, carrying a tray with two steaming cups of tea. Her steps seem a little bit too unsteady, as if she was out of balance. It's probably the sickness.

"I… hope you l-like it," she stutters. Sakura nods politely, grabbing her mug and holding her palms against it. It's comforting in a place like this.

"You missed a surprise exam, by the way," she offers, setting her eyes on Hinata's. That seems to make the girl uncomfortable, but nothing can be done about that. "Kunai trajectories. And an extra exercise adding ninja wires."

Sakura has no idea about Hinata's capabilities. Her grades are unremarkable, though they are usually in the range from decent to good. She studies the girl's expression, but Hinata seems to be a little zoned out, barely nodding in response. This silence is heavy and unnatural, so Sakura decides to push on. Whether it is to get out of here as soon as possible, or make conversation with the meek girl, she doesn't know.

"Today we had a lesson about the founders of the village," she proclaims, her voice switching to lecture mode. Sakura is very proud of her ability to say difficult words without stuttering. With her memorisation skills, Sakura is capable of rearranging the information in her mind and relaying it to Hinata rather easily.

A strange atmosphere starts to bloom around them: Hinata's eyes are set on Sakura, though never anywhere near her eyes, and there is a twinkle of interest in there that makes the impromptu teacher proud. Absorbed by the tale that Sakura tells, the minutes fly by and their previous tension slowly dissipates in the air. She finishes her story with about half of her tea remaining, and then moves on to chakra theory.

It's even more interesting than history lessons, and by the time Sakura is done, Hinata's expression seems completely enraptured by her words.

"You're… g-good at teaching, Sakura-san," she whispers, breaking the spell that has befallen them. Sakura positively beams at her, and that only makes Hinata blush, though her skittish attitude is less heavy than it was when she arrived.

"Well, you're good at listening!" Sakura replies, remembering Ino's lessons on complimenting people. Hinata blushes even more, fiddling with her fingers and lowering her face in a vain attempt to disappear. "Iruka-sensei said that our homework is to 'figure out the names of the clan leaders that were in charge when the village was created'," she adds, without missing a beat. Her face scrunches up in concentration. "I have no idea. I never noticed that he hadn't told us a single name."

Hinata mumbles something in a low voice, and Sakura has to lean forward to hear the words, but her eyes widen in surprise when she understands what her classmate is saying.

"-dara Uchiha, Shinto Aburame, Tora Akimichi... Kitane Hyūga. Mito Uzumaki, Hana Shimura…" Sakura blinks once, twice, and then tilts her head to the side, eyes owlishly open in a mix of surprise and interest. Hinata drones through the names as if she had learned them by heart, and by the time the string of words is over, she is only a little bit winded. "I… learned them f-from my f-family…" she mumbles, seemingly embarrassed.

She even looked a little zoned out during that…

"That's amazing!" Sakura squeals, clapping her hands together so suddenly that Hinata jumps in her seat, frightened. "But I think Iruka-sensei wanted us to figure out a way to get the names on our own…"

Oh, well, what's done is done.

"I think that's all, actually. But if you want, I can give you my notes on today's stuff," Sakura offers, because fair is fair. "They're still back in class, but maybe I can meet with you later, by the Academy gates? Iruka-sensei said I should go back before the hour is over."

Hinata seems stunned at the proposal, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. She seems to be unsure about how to respond, and Sakura is again reminded of herself, when she was at her most shy. In her case, Ino could blabber on and on for hours, and she would merely soak up the words with interest that never once waned; in Hinata's, it really looks like she wants to say something, but all that comes out is a strangled whisper that sounds vaguely like "t-thank you."

"Oh, no…" Sakura's body tenses at Hinata's gasp. "It's… I think it's been an hour." Her eyes trail over to Sakura's, and there is something akin to expectant nervousness, nearing fear. It looks almost like Sakura's expression in the rare occasion in which she forgets an assignment. Those moments while waiting for Iruka-sensei to call out her name are the worst.

She mutters an eight-year-old's version of a curse, hastily jumping up to her feet and bowing down fast enough to feel dizzy.

"Thanks for the tea! We can meet at the school gates. Is six a good hour?" Hinata nods, squirming in her seat and getting up as well, albeit a lot slower. "Great! I'll see you later, Hinata-san!"

Sakura barely remembers to put her sandals on before bolting out of the main door, and she doesn't even spare a glance back at the other girl, her mind flooded with worry about Iruka-sensei's lecture if she's late.

She misses the slight slump in Hinata's posture, just a moment before the dark-haired girl resolves to close the door and head back inside with limping steps.

* * *

Sakura makes it back to class a few minutes late. Iruka-sensei notices her ragged breath and tousled appearance, but he doesn't scold her for overextending. A quick gesture communicates that she accomplished her mission, and without further ado she sits in her seat once more.

The hours pass languidly after her return. Lunch break comes and goes, and Sakura makes a point to take particularly clear notes for Hinata. There is excitement bubbling under every inch of her skin, because even with Ino's help, she has never been good at making friends.

She supposes that purposely meeting up with Hinata, out of school hours, has to count for something in that regard. Ino notices her bubbly demeanor, snarking that maybe she is so giddy because she finally accepted Naruto's requests for a date. Sakura sticks out her tongue at her, but at least they can always agree that _that's never gonna happen_.

Ino still asks who she is meeting with, though, and Sakura is more than happy to tell her of her recent exploits.

"Did _she_ ask you on a date?" the Yamanaka laughs, watching Sakura's expression go from self-assured to utterly mortified.

" _INO!_ "

Her blonde friend is giggling with every bit of feminine grace that she possesses, and it makes Sakura pout profoundly. How can she be so pretty and ladylike, and still blurt out crazy stuff like _that_?

* * *

 _Don't come back!_

Hinata remembers her first day at the Academy. She had been alone, barely six years old and yet aware enough to understand that she wasn't welcome. She had been hoping… that maybe, by joining the ninja school (as it had been stipulated she would do, before she was even born), she could fill the empty and silent space that always surrounded her.

She had enough education in her clan's manners to keep quiet most of the time. She wouldn't speak unless spoken to, or out of necessity. It had shifted from shyness and obedience to a sense of worthlessness. She liked to listen to people, but she was too unsure of her own actions to approach anyone.

And yet, they had found her.

It had been insults from a group of bullies, nothing more. She had been late, as well, oversleeping due to insomnia (and this, in turn, was caused by her own nervousness the night prior). She didn't know it at the time, but the boys she found on the way to the school had been _leaving_ \- her future classmates had already left, the introductory class finished.

There was no one to save her, but after leaving her crying and curled up by the roadside, they gave up. It just wasn't as fun if they couldn't see her face.

It started with her eyes, and then progressed to tugging and pushing. _Pranks_. Her things disappearing during lunch break, or pieces of paper and gum stuck to her hair and clothes while she wasn't paying attention. They were subtler than she was, because they were older. No one noticed that something was amiss.

There was no one to see that she was becoming skittish and insecure like she hadn't been before, retracting into her little shell with vehemence unseen until then. She didn't know who was doing it, and soon she started to feel like every classmate was looking at her funny when she walked past.

She thought she could hear them laughing at her, when she wasn't part of the conversation. She figured they hated her for what she had done and what she was - the last remaining freak of a dead clan. A monster by virtue of being nothing good, even if she didn't feel evil.

The bullies were stronger as well, as she found out very soon. Some of the younger kids mocked her for her appearance and strange eyes; but it was the older ones that crossed the rest of the lines. Those, she couldn't beat by pretending to ignore them. She really didn't know how to stop them.

 _You little weakling! It's your fault!_

Hinata is pretty sure that they didn't realise how much they were escalating things. She wanted to understand them, she wanted them to stop, but she could achieve neither. Her behavior became jittery and alert, but that didn't do anything.

If she hid where no one saw her, they would find her. If she tried to camouflage herself amongst other children, she wouldn't be able to see them coming. She really didn't want to activate her Byakugan, as that would only draw more attention to herself.

Instead, she started to learn who they were. Names, faces, figure, typical clothes and demeanor. She learned what each of them usually did to her (even the pranks - they would gloat about it when they caught her alone, even if she didn't see the execution itself).

The girl called Hanako liked to scratch her arms and legs, and she was more daring than anyone else. The two blue-haired twins, male, were the ones that liked to yank her hair and slip water through the collar of her shirt in the middle of winter.

People like them just followed their leaders, however - and those, those were the worst. Hinata was always stunned at the amount of hatred that a select few of her elders held for her. _They_ were the ones that started to beat her up, and the others merely followed.

 _They_ were the ones that had no compunctions about how far they pushed her… nor did they seem to want to stop. They couldn't be much older than twelve, but something in their eyes lit up like fire anytime she (by accident or choice) looked into them.

 _We're going to be graduating tomorrow, so you better not come show your ugly face!_

Hinata hadn't had the time, or courage, to stop Sakura and change the place where they should meet up. She never liked to argue, and she would have hated herself if she had ruined the good mood between them.

Those who tormented her had passed their graduation exam - it must have been sometime in the last week. Truthfully, she did notice the absence of the ringleaders, but she paid no attention to it (at least, until they gave out her warning). The others were still trying to make her life miserable, and she had to focus on the problems at hand.

She really, really didn't want to go to school again after that particularly thorough beating. Hinata knows a little bit about basic healing arts - just enough to tend to her bruises and cuts. Yesterday, however, another line was crossed. Perhaps it was because they wouldn't have easy access to her so easily, once they graduated. Maybe she did something truly terrible that upset them. Some part of her wonders if this is how they wanted to celebrate graduation.

There is an ugly bruise on the right side of her torso now, and she hasn't been able to breathe properly since they kicked her there. It hurts more than any other injury she has ever sustained, and her coughing is making her spit blood. Even if she had wanted to go to school, she doesn't think she would have been able to.

Not when she is this weak. She needs to figure out a way to cure this, but no matter what she does, it won't go away. She could barely sleep last night, and walking is particularly difficult after a kick delivered straight to her right knee, either in an attempt to cripple her or to get her leg-shield down. They ended up prying her open like a clam, spreading her limbs with enough force to make her cry out, and taking turns in the beating.

If she had gone to school like this, who knows what could have happened.

It really is no surprise that luck isn't on her side, and she walks straight into a newly-appointed batch of genin, despite her best efforts to avoid the main paths. They must have taken a different route to go to a restaurant and celebrate their promotion.

Their eyes light up in recognition, and Hinata takes a step back, but doesn't flee. She knows she can't outrun them.

Hinata doesn't show up on time, and Sakura tries to stifle down her anger and anxiety by telling herself that Hinata is sick, after all. Maybe she should have met up with her in the compound, but… well, she didn't really want to go there again. It's far away, and very creepy. She justifies her choice by saying that Iruka would also like to see his student.

It's half past six, and Sakura can't help but wonder if Hinata ditched her. Or maybe her illness got worse, and since she is alone, there is no way she can tell her about it.

Finally, she decides to head to the compound, just to see...

It's pure chance that she chooses this path in particular. She is a little bit hungry, and maybe she could buy something nice to eat and bring something for Hinata. This street is a little shady, but it's a shortcut to the district with all the food and candy shops. It cuts through a small grove, and it's while she muses about what to buy, that she hears it.

"Why did you come back?!"

She thinks it's directed at her, just for a split second, and freezes up. But there are other voices, and none of them are directed at her. It's the _thud_ that makes her alert, ready for a fight - she knows this sound.

 _What's going on?_

The noise comes from a few meters ahead, just around the corner. That path leads to a dead end, and immediately, Sakura feels her mind start to race with worry. She knows this tone of voice. She knows these words.

 _Someone is getting…_

Years later, she will look back on this moment and realise that, the instant the thought crosses her mind, something in her changes drastically. There is anger - legitimate anger, blinding every thought of self-preservation, every ounce of hesitation. She has been _there_ , but none of her bullies ever took it to the physical stage.

These are older students, and she can't hear a peep from whoever they are attacking. It isn't a friendly fight ( _it doesn't qualify as one_ ). She knows that bullies gang up on people, because that's what they did to her. At least, until Ino showed up. Someone is getting really hurt and she doesn't even give a thought to asking for help - it has to stop _now_.

Perhaps she is becoming agitated, reflecting their own emotions, but she rushes towards the source of the sound with a shout and a scolding ready behind her lips.

The scene that meets her eyes isn't a pretty one. Hinata is curled up on the ground, deathly silent, her back against the brick wall. Her legs and arms are trying to shield her head, face and torso, but Hinata can barely keep them up anymore. There is an odd, veiny set of bulges around her eyes, and that's all she can see of her expression.

A pale lavender eye peeks between her mangled fingers, settling on Sakura as if Hinata had known that she was coming. There is an instant of pure, unadulterated fear, and then confusion. Hinata didn't expect her here, and she clearly doesn't know what to make of it.

 _Or maybe she thinks this happening is because of me_.

Sakura doesn't know, she doesn't care. This isn't right and it has to stop. Had it been something milder, maybe her nervousness would have prevented her from acting. But this… Hinata looks terrible, and barely conscious. None of the six older children (all genin, judging by their headbands) notice her presence, but that changes as soon as she speaks.

"What the... heck are you guys doing?!" she exclaims, her expression horrified and body trembling, both out of indignation and fear. The oldest of the group, a girl that has to be about fourteen years old, turns to her immediately.

In an instant, every gaze is settled on hers. Sakura notes, out of the corner of her eyes, that Hinata takes this moment to inch away from everyone present. Sakura tries to look at all of them at once, eyes flitting from one face to another. Sakura isn't confident in her chances, she isn't secure of herself, but she can't let this happen.

 _It's not right, it's not right…_

"What are you doing here, you little pipsqueak?" the older girl hisses, her bright grey eyes promising pain. Sakura nearly takes a step back, flinching, but she balls her hands by her sides and stands her ground. She really wishes she had the ribbon between her fingers now.

"What are _you_ doing? Leave Hinata-san alone!" she responds, trying to give off her best fierce impression. If only Ino was here… she always knows how to handle people. From her, she learned to spot the leaders of these little groups - this girl is it. If Sakura confronts her and wins, the others will leave Hinata alone.

But she doesn't feel like she can, not one tiny bit. Age, height, strength and knowledge; she has none of those things on her side. These people all graduated, which means they have basic shinobi knowledge (even jutsu) beyond her own. Sakura still doesn't know how to use chakra.

 _It's just not right!_ bellows the voice in her mind, and she heeds it with almost animalistic vehemence.

"Kid, are you dumb?" snaps one of the two boys, tilting his head to the side like a curious cat. Like a predator evaluating its prey. His tone is full of mockery. "Do you wanna get beaten up too?"

Sakura freezes, the threat looming over her in a very real fashion. They are already beating up Hinata, what is stopping them from doing the same to her? Could she outrun them? The school gates seem to be too far away now.

 _Why is nobody stopping this?_

There is no one to help, she realises. For some reason or another, there is no one. It's her or no one else, and Hinata… Sakura can't leave her alone. No matter what she has to do, or pretend to be.

"No! I want you to stop it! Don't you see you're hurting her?" she retorts, with a tone that sounds too pleading for her own taste. It's not convincing, not menacing - not even self-assured. It's the begging of a child.

And they notice. The second boy, the tallest of them all, takes a step forward. His eyes are open wide, too wide, akin to the pupils of a cat about to pounce, and that grin doesn't even look human. _What's wrong with that guy?_ Sakura tenses up, ready for whatever he is about to throw at her, but leader-girl's arm shoots forward to stop him.

"This one is young. She doesn't know any better," she whispers, and he stops in his tracks. His breathing is ragged, even more so than Sakura's own shallow breaths. "I'm Maiko, little girl. Who are you?" the girl purrs, a fake smile on her face.

Sakura knows in this moment that she isn't someone that can be trusted. It's not a conscious thought - but someone capable of controlling _that boy_ with mere words is dangerous.

"I'm Sakura Haruno," she replies, almost by instinct.

"And what business do you have with… Hinata-san?"

Sakura decides, in this very moment, that she _really_ doesn't like this girl. It reminds her of Ami, who spread the word about her big forehead and constant crying, until no other girl wanted to play with her.

"She's my classmate," Sakura responds, truthfully.

"And because she's your classmate, you wanna protect her?" Maiko inquires, and Sakura nods. She doesn't know where this conversation is going, but for as long as it goes, Hinata will remain safe. Maybe, if she can distract them for long enough, someone will find them… It really is the only thing she can do. Her body relaxes minutely, sensing that for now, there won't be fighting. "Well, tell ya what, I had classmates I cared about, too, and they died because of her."

Hinata's body seems to spasm at this, and Sakura's gaze jumps to her immediately. The dark-haired girl pulls her hands away from her face, looking like she wants to say something, but the only thing that comes out is a wet cough.

"Don't you know, Sakura?" Maiko continues, taking a step towards Hinata. The others part to let her pass. She seems completely undisturbed by the blood and Hinata's visible pain, kneeling next to the fallen girl and yanking her hair, pulling her head up for all to see. "Look at her. Those eyes mark her as the culprit!"

Hinata's lips are pursed together, which must hurt with how swollen they are. She has a black eye and both of her cheeks are heavily bruised. It's hard to read her expression, but she is clearly hurt and scared. Sakura is too stunned to react.

"What- what do you mean?" she mutters. What could Hinata possibly have done, to make people hate her this much? She is always quiet, true, but whenever she talks she is extremely polite. She has never gotten detention or missed an assignment. Sakura knows that this girl is the epitome of good behavior.

"Konoha used to have four noble clans," Maiko explains, her fingers digging into Hinata's scalp painfully. The girl, however, doesn't move an inch. "Akimichi, Aburame, Uchiha and Hyūga. But one of them is gone now. Do you know why? Did you ever think about _why_ an entire clan just vanished, two years ago?"

Sakura is about to respond, but Maiko doesn't leave her any room for an answer.

"You didn't, because you weren't at the Academy back then. You didn't know Neji Hyūga." Maiko's grip tightens as she spells out the name, and Hinata's lips part in a quiet gasp of pain. "I'll tell you. Neji Hyūga was a prodigy, but his clan put a seal on him. His clan _enslaved him_ to this girl. And it's because of her that he went crazy. It was so bad that he snapped after his graduation."

 _I don't like where this is going…_

"The same day the majority of our class passed, _he killed every single one of them_. And then he killed his clan, and vanished. The only reason we're alive is that we failed the exam!" Maiko snarls, pushing Hinata's head downward with enough force to make her forehead bounce on the pavement. "If he had considered us real shinobi, we would be dead!"

Her eyes aren't focused on Sakura anymore, instead seeing memories that don't belong to this time and place. The others are silent, their own eyes hazy and their body languages tense with remembrance.

"He _let us go_ after killing everyone, right in front of us! And I asked him why… why would he do such a thing?!" her voice cracks, and she looks every bit like the fourteen year old that she is. Her hand shakes Hinata by the hair, and _ow, that has to hurt a lot._ Sakura doesn't dare to take a step forward, not against someone who is clearly breaking down and mentally unstable, but she really, really wants to. "Because of this… this freak! If she didn't _exist_ , none of this would have happened!"

Maiko punches Hinata's jaw, and it's like a dam is broken. Every bit of composure that the older girl had is gone, and she is crying and screaming obscenities, pummeling the girl pinned beneath her. The others seem to snap out of it, inching towards Hinata as if to resume what had been going on before Sakura got here.

That mental image is what snaps Sakura out of her own trance.

 _IT'S NOT RIGHT!_

"Stop it!" Sakura screams, lurching forward and between the others. They seem to be too surprised to stop her, and her body clumsily slams against Maiko's in an effort to end _it_. She pushes the older girl off, but Hinata is too close to the wall to make her roll away and separate the two. There is no escape.

Sakura settles for the next best thing, in a moment of utter panic and harrowing necessity, and pushes herself between the two bodies. Hinata's surprised eyes look up at her between her black bangs, disbelief painted on her bloody features.

Mentally apologising for what she is about to do, Sakura slips her hands under Hinata's shoulders and pushes her body flush against her coat. Hips over hips, she digs her knees behind Hinata's and entwines their legs, heels keeping them together. It's a half-assed immobilisation technique - one that would definitely get her low scores in the Academy, but it works.

She is now an improvised meatshield. She stopped it...

Hinata flinches in pain, and that's when Sakura notices that the girl is shivering, recoiling as if trying to move away from her. The Hyūga closes her eyes, every muscle in her body taut and ready. Expectant.

 _Does she think I'm going to hurt her too...?_

Sharp pain erupts in the back of Sakura's head, cutting any rational thoughts away from her grasp and blurring her vision. Her forehead smacks against the ground next to Hinata's head. In the small space she has left to breathe, there is enough blood to make Sakura retch.

Any measure of safety or control that Sakura felt has flown out of the window by now. Maiko attempts to pry her away from Hinata, but Sakura's grasp on her only tightens further, her body pushing in the opposite direction in a desperate effort to remain in place.

She has to stay here or it will start again. It's the only thought in her mind. The only thing that she holds onto, beyond the pain and panicked fear. Sakura doesn't even remember why in the first place, but it's so, so very important.

Adrenaline gives her the edge she needs, and Maiko's weight disappears off her after a brief fight. Sakura is vaguely aware that she is crying and her muscles hurt from the strain, but there is only an instant of respite.

A hard kick meets her hips, and then another on her thigh, and she can't see them coming but she can feel every tiny bit of pain. Her ears are ringing and the floor is dancing in front of her eyes, her fingers twitching with every hit, yet they remain obstinately clung to Hinata's beige coat. She can't see the Hyūga's expression, but her breathing sounds quick and shallow.

Time loses its meaning and continuity, and later, Sakura won't be able to say how many seconds, or minutes, or hours passed. Only that one hit blurs into another, the syllables of each insult mixing until she can't understand the words anymore, and then it all stops as suddenly as it started.

There are distant sounds - rustled clothes, the sound of a collision against a metal dumpster, screams. She can't understand any of it. All that matters is that it _stopped_. Why is it so important? Hinata… she doesn't know Hinata at all. Is it because it reminds Sakura of herself? Because she knows _it's not right?_

Sakura didn't know she had this in her, but the feeling of overwhelming need to _stop it_ was stronger than anything else in her mind.

Hesitantly, Sakura turns her face to the side. The alley is empty now… or, rather, everyone in it is unconscious. She can see the figures strewn on the ground, though their edges aren't altogether too clear for her. Little dots cover her vision, making the details fuzzy, and everything in her hurts.

A figure steps around the same corner she turned to get here, and in her position, this person seems impossibly tall. Threatening. Sakura's muscles tense a little more with each step the stranger takes towards them. She can't see their face, her head hurts too much to look up from where she is. The person speaks, and it takes her few seconds to understand the words. Their tone is much lower, softer than the bullies'.

"-gone now."

She turns her head away when the stranger kneels beside them. Sakura doesn't want to get her nose punched in, thank you very much. Under her, Hinata stirs slightly, but doesn't make an effort to move.

Sakura nearly jumps when a hand lands between her shoulderblades. The fingers are steady and gentle, tracing… circles? There is no pain. Even in her circumstances, it's almost relaxing. Where are Maiko and the others?

 _Gone now._

Who is this? Her dizzy brain catches the tail end of an apology. The stranger's hand moves from her back to her neck in an instant, and then the world goes black.

* * *

 **['FoI' are little tidbits about the worldbuilding/AU, characters and whatnot, pertaining to the story. They don't really spoil anything. They didn't fit in the story, but they're here for the curious folks (like me) who want to know a little more about what goes on behind the 'scenes'.]**

 **Facts of Interest (FoI):**

 _[1] Timeline:_ the story's start is set in April, when the schoolyear starts in Japan. A week or so after Sakura's eighth birthday (March 28). Why are there newly-graduated genin showing up? It takes a while for them to be examined, evaluated and instated in the system, which happens over spring break. _[/1]_

 _[2] Meaning of Kodoku: _ isolation, loneliness. _[/2]_


	2. ARC I (Haru) - Hansha

**A.N:** wow, the response for this story has been overwhelmingly nice! Thank you all for all the reviews, favs and follows! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter just as much, or more! I can't answer to guest reviews/ _loveawkwardness_ , but thanks to you guys as well!

 _curious viewer_ mentioned something interesting: whether Sakura is going to befriend everyone in the Rookie 9 or not. To this, I add "is she going to become serious about being a shinobi/train super-hard and become really strong/realise that her crush on Sasuke is just that"?

The answer to all of that is... this ain't a full-on fix-fic to wank off my own daydreams of what could have been, where everything is perfect and so is Sakura. Character development will happen differently than in canon, but it isn't going to fix everything. Where would be the conflict and development and totally needed suffering in that? Sakura _will_ interact with people differently, because of ripple effect.

* * *

 **.| ARC I |** Haru **| CHAPTER 2 |** Hansha **|.**

* * *

White.

Hinata blinks wearily, startled out of her dreamless sleep, and her gaze finds the ceiling of her hospital room. Through her drowsiness, the girl is vaguely aware that she doesn't remember how she ended up here. There was pain, so much pain, almost like-

 _I wish you didn't exist. The next best thing is leaving you alive, knowing that everyone else is dead because of your existence. And you will be too much of a coward to do anything about it._

Hinata flinches, assaulted by a barrage of unpleasant memories. She thinks it's a dream, because she can hear the angry words of a very familiar, blood-chilling voice. Nausea rises to the back of her throat, alongside what can only described as a cry. The voice quietens immediately, and she realises that it actually doesn't sound so similar to… to that man's. She was just… imagining things again.

Belatedly, she realises that there is a curtain to the left of her bed - someone is peeking from the other side, looking straight at her with what seems to be concern. A medic. Hinata wants to sink through her mattress and disappear, but alas, all she can do is lower her gaze.

"Hinata-chan," the medic calls out, and she feels obliged to return her eyes to the speaker. Well, somewhere on his shoulders. She notices that he seems very tense, almost on edge. His voice is very thin. "How do you feel?" the man inquires, taking a step towards her bed.

"I'm… I'm fine, I t-think," she stutters, her throat hoarse. It's very hard to resist the urge to inch away, but the girl manages to stay still.

Someone pulls aside the curtain, and her eyes find none other than Sakura Haruno, tucked in her own bed next to hers. A man and a woman stand by Sakura (they must be her parents); he looks worried sick, an uneasy smile on his lips, and she seems to be extremely aggravated.

Hinata knows that body language, that expression - Sakura's mother is very angry. Taken aback by the intensity of these emotions, she looks away as fast as possible. The medic won't let anything happen to her, right?

"Hinata-san!" Sakura exclaims, her voice sharp and loud in the tense stillness of the room. None of the adults seem to mind, but Hinata's nerves disapprove of this. Very much. Sakura must see her poorly concealed panic, because her expression softens and her next words are much quieter. "It's alright, we're going to be okay."

The Hyūga girl blinks owlishly. Her memories of what happened are quite blurry as of now. By the time Sakura got _there_ , she was so gone that her Byakugan had activated by instinct. And some part of her, a primal and defensive one, is telling her that Sakura was part of the assault.

That's what she thought at first, yes… but she distinctly remembers the lack of pain after Sakura reached her (except from that horribly tight grip on her shoulders). Sakura _defended_ her in the only way she could: putting her own body in harm's way.

Hinata's throat closes up for reasons that she would prefer not to think about, and she limits herself to nodding. There are many questions bubbling in her mind, but she can tell that the ambience in the room is rather hostile already.

"I still want to know how did Sakura- no, how did two _little girls_ get beaten up to this state." Sakura's mother is practically growling, her body poised as if she was ready to attack the medic (who pretends to be oblivious to it as he checks on Hinata). Her stance is not an untrained one, the Hyūga notes. Even if she doesn't look like a seasoned shinobi, she must have had some training.

"We already told you, Haruno-san," the medic grounds out, exasperated and tense. He turns to the woman with apprehension clear in his movements, arms crossed over his chest. "They got into a fight with a newly graduated group of genin. Five, according to Itachi Uchiha's report."

" _This_ is not a playground scuffle! You're telling me that five genin graduates ganged up on them?!" retorts the irate woman. Hinata now knows what was the sound that woke her up, the voice (so full of anger) that made her believe she was having a nightmare. "If Sakura-chan had been hit any harder, her bones would have broken! And don't tell me Hinata-chan is any better. I can see that she can barely breathe from a mile away."

The medic's shoulders sag, and Hinata can tell that he doesn't like this situation one tiny bit. He is just a scapegoat for misdirected anger. She just hopes no one will notice her too much. Sakura is biting her lips, her eyes jumping from one adult to another frenetically. She seems to be at a loss.

"Haruno-san, I implore you to take your complaints to the Academy's staff... or even the Hokage himself. This is a hospital," he drones out, as impassive as one can be under this onslaught. He seems older than Sakura's parents, and clearly familiar with this type of situation. "You have another half an hour of visitation."

He walks out of the room before anyone can get a word in, leaving a fuming Haruno woman and her awkwardly-smiling husband behind. Hinata merely observes as Sakura's mother turns to the girl in question, her eyes hard as stone.

"We're pulling you out, Sakura-chan," she decrees, her lips upturned. Before her daughter can protest (which Sakura seems to want to do, very badly), the woman continues. "There are no _buts_. If this is what the shinobi system has degenerated into, I'm not putting you in the hands of the Academy. That is final."

Hinata observes Sakura's reaction carefully, but the girl seems to be lacking the words. Her lower lip is wobbling dangerously, her eyes watery and gaze lost. Seems like her classmate doesn't know how to deal with confrontations, just like Hinata herself.

"I need it…" Sakura whispers hollowly, as if that argument won it all. Her father frowns, stepping close to her bed and trying to reach out for her hair. Sakura shakes her head violently, turning away from her parents. She looks like she wants to bolt out of the room.

Coincidentally, her eyes meet Hinata's. There is a flicker of emotion there, one that the Hyūga girl can't identify too well. The only obvious things are desperation and pain. They burn like fire in Sakura's green irises, and the intensity of whatever she is feeling takes her aback.

"Hinata-san, you can tell them, right? You can tell them why I _need it_."

The first thing Hinata thinks is along the lines of a dignified _oh, crap_ : everyone in the room is looking at her now. She doesn't like it when people pay attention to her, and even less if they are fuming threateningly. Worse, pressure and _expectations_ come out of it; she can't back out of this one.

She can't even fiddle with her fingers; they are all bandaged and stiff. Hinata takes a shuddering breath, and then focuses her eyes in the general direction of Sakura's parents.

"Sakura-san w-was j-just… trying t-to help me." Sakura probably wanted her to say something different, but this is the truth. Hinata swallows nervously, trying not to blink away. "I d-don't t-think s-she is having a bad t-time at t-the Academy."

Predictably enough, that makes Sakura's mother raise an eyebrow, and she seems more than ready to pelt the Hyūga with questions. Her husband, however, places a hand on her shoulder and shakes his head.

"Give her a break, Mebuki. Push any harder and Hinata-chan is going to fly through the window." He turns toward the dark-haired girl after his nonchalant statement, giving her a confidential wink and a smirk with every bit of reassurance he can muster. Hinata decides that she likes this man. He can read the mood very well.

"This is still unfair and someone is going to hear about it," Mebuki pouts, scowling at the wall. She looks slightly childish like this, and Hinata is almost amazed at her husband's ability to dissolve the tension just like that.

Sakura turns her hopeful eyes toward her mother, putting on what can only be called a begging puppy face. Mebuki harrumphs and then sighs, looking really old and tired just for a moment.

"I understand why you want to be stronger, Sakura-chan," she mutters. "It's really commendable that you helped Hinata-chan, but if something like this can go unnoticed for so long, the Academy isn't a good place for you. Or any child, for that matter."

Sakura cranes her head to the side, and Hinata can almost see the gears turning in her mind. "You mean that it's not the first time?"

Mebuki takes a deep breath, clearly considering the curse of having a smart daughter. She hesitates for an instant, eyes briefly glancing in Hinata's direction. "It's not my place to say it, but it seems that Hinata-chan over here has been… hurt similarly in the past."

"What!" Sakura exclaims, whirling around to look at her classmate. There it is again, that fire in her eyes that leaves Hinata breathless and slightly uncomfortable. "Hinata-san! Why didn't you say anything?"

The Hyuuga girl feels her jaw go slack in her surprise, because _no one ever cared_. Granted, the majority of people didn't seem to notice her to begin with, but…

Sakura was the first person who knew of her pain and stepped in to stop it. They don't know each other too well. Maybe that's why Sakura doesn't hate her… yet. But she heard the story from Maiko (maybe she doesn't believe it…?), she shouldn't-

 _She shouldn't be on my side._ Hinata, simply put, doesn't get it. She blinks owlishly for a few long, awkward seconds, staring at Sakura as if she had just fallen from the sky.

"I didn't want t-to annoy anyone," she finally admits. Why isn't Sakura annoyed? She got beaten up because of Hinata. If people are angry at just having to share school with her, Sakura should be rightfully pissed at this. But she isn't, not one tiny bit.

As much as Hinata can feel every bit of emotion that her classmate is projecting, she can tell that none of that indignation is directed at her. She even seems puzzled at her response, as if it was utter nonsense to think that way. What in Heaven's sake is Sakura Haruno?

"That's silly! How are the teachers going to know you're hurt if you don't tell them?" Sakura scolds, though she seems more baffled than angry. Like it's some textbook thing and Hinata is a little dumb for forgetting about it.

The Hyūga opens her mouth to protest, but no words come out. She just never thought that she should tell anyone. She thought she deserved it… Why else would people hate her so much?

"That's it, from today on I'm going ta keep my eye on you!" Sakura continues, nodding to herself as if she had just made a deal. She even slipped in her pronunciation, too excited to notice. Sakura winks at her, just like her father did, and there is an easygoing smile playing on her lips. "I'm gonna be your friend, so when you get hurt, someone can tell the teachers!"

Hinata has to try very hard to avoid gaping openly. Where did _that_ come from? Sakura is very polite, yes, but this goes beyond courtesy obligations. Does she even understand what Hinata really is? Her parents look mostly civilian, so maybe she is oblivious to the real meaning of the truth. That has to be the only reason she hasn't turned away yet. There is no other explanation.

Hinata can barely stand to gaze at her directly, not when there is so much raw emotion and determination in Sakura's expression. Her smile is so very bright, so warm and welcoming, that she feels ashamed to look at it. Hinata doesn't deserve this, she shouldn't even receive this or even be anywhere near such an unbelievable display of kindness. It's utterly outlandish - few people even look her way, and here is Sakura Haruno, offering her friendship even though she doesn't know her.

Said girl seems to be utterly satisfied with her foolproof plan. It's almost like she has forgotten that her parents wanted to get her out of the Academy. Hinata peeks at them, but the two adults aren't looking at either girl anymore. They share a glance filled with understanding, and Sakura's father seems to be so full of pride that he could float to the ceiling at any moment. Mebuki sighs, but there is a barely concealed, teeny-tiny smile on her face.

"That's my girl," she whispers. Sakura turns to her mother questioningly, and strangely enough, she seems ready to argue her case now. Hinata releases a breath she was barely aware of withholding. Mebuki raises a hand to halt her daughter, and Sakura crosses her arms defiantly. "You're very sweet, Sakura-chan. If you promise me that you will _always_ count on your teachers for help, and they never, _ever_ fail you, you can stay in the Academy."

Mebuki sends a half-baked glare in her husband's direction, as if to say 'happy now?'. He gives her two thumbs-up and a blinding, toothy smile. The strength of their bond is almost palpable to Hinata.

"Yes, I promise!" Sakura responds a little bit too fast, but it's probably to make sure that her mother doesn't have time to retract the offer. Her face might just crack if she smiles any harder, Hinata thinks. It has to hurt at least a little bit. How does it feel like…? "You hear that, Hinata? From today on, we're friends!"

Hinata feels a little sting in her eyes, but she blinks it away as fast as she can. Showing emotions only implies that she doesn't have self-control. She nods, quietly, and then wonders once more if this is a dream.

* * *

Sakura practically drags Ino into the hospital, brimming with energy in a way that the blonde hasn't seen since her seventh birthday. She is blabbering so fast that Ino is hard-pressed to understand it, but she figures that if something has Sakura this excited, it can't be bad to follow her.

Although, her friend looks like _crap_. Her hair is all tousled, her dress is dirty and there are bruises all over her skin. She has a bandage wrapped around her head, and a slight limp to her steps. Sakura just showed up at her clan's house, took her by the wrist before she could say hello and then took off towards the hospital.

The last time Ino saw Sakura, the girl was blabbering about meeting up with Hinata Hyūga, and that was yesterday. Neither girl showed up at school, but Ino knows that Sakura can catch colds with unbelievable accuracy, so she thought nothing of it. She certainly missed something important. Ino decides that she won't worry too much about the specifics, for now - despite her sorry state, Sakura looks extremely happy.

Breathless, Sakura finally arrives to their apparent destination, knocking on the door of the hospital room and waiting only a few seconds to open. There is no response, but the room's occupant doesn't seem surprised to see them.

If Sakura looks bad, Hinata looks _worse_. She doesn't have any bandages, but there are angry bruises all over her arms, neck and face. Ino's eyes widen in surprise, her gaze darting from one girl to another in suspicion. This is definitely not a cold.

"Hi, Hinata! This is Ino, my best friend," chirps Sakura, practically hopping from the door to the bedside. She seems to be completely oblivious to Ino's reaction, and maybe even to Hinata's pleading eyes.

The blonde Yamanaka reaffirms her stance, straightening back up and smoothing over her expression. It's already bad enough that Hinata got a less-than-stellar first impression of her. She needs to tread carefully here - Hinata is very shy, Sakura has the subtlety and tact of an elephant, and something went very, very wrong in the past twenty-four hours.

Ino mentally dons a white headband with the word 'captain' etched in bright red on it, resolving herself to take care of this little situation.

"Hello, Hyūga-san," she bows, tightening her lips into a decently-sized smile. Ino might be brash and loud, but she can be polite when it's necessary. Psychological knowledge is something her clan has in spades, so she knows what reactions to choose for each situation better than most of her classmates.

"H-hello, Ha- S-sakura-san, Yamanaka-san." Hinata looks slightly red, but it's not enough to consider it unhealthy. Ino racks her mind in search for her knowledge of this girl. High-social standing, hence her good manners; traditional behavior, thus she prefers staying quiet.

Self-esteem low enough to be invisible, making her shy and repressed, to the point of being flustered and stuttering constantly. By the way her eyes are scanning the room, Sakura and Ino herself, she is wary of social interaction. Her gaze is analysing them intently, though not directly, and she looks ready to bolt, even though she can't run anywhere.

Sometimes, Ino really appreciates having the family she has.

"Will you tell me what the heck happened to you two now, Sakura? I don't take kindly to being dragged across the village without knowing why," Ino starts, crossing her arms and widening her stance. She makes sure to direct the intensity of her words away from Hinata. Sakura turns to look at her guiltily, so the blonde pulls out her tongue in mock-anger.

The second her change in demeanor registers in Hinata's mind, the Hyūga tenses minutely. She is smart, but a tad too scared to catch onto the playfulness of Ino's attitude. So, she can't tell a good joke from a bad one.

Not good. Ino is admittedly skilled at reading people and behaving accordingly, but she has a one-track mind. Most of her thinking goes into boys or looking pretty, so maybe she missed something really important with Hinata.

Even for shy people, this isn't normal behavior. The word in her mental headband changes to 'inspector Yamanaka'.

"Well, you see…" Sakura mumbles, clasping her hands and fiddling. "Some bullies tried to beat up Hinata, so I helped her out."

Ino blinks only twice, much to her credit, but her carefully schooled expression is reflecting a whole world of _you what_. Okay, fine, maybe her forte is being self-assured instead of having the self-control that her clan is famed for. Like it matters. If she can get things her way, all is good.

"I didn't fight them!" Sakura continues, looking slightly panicked and lowering her gaze to her own feet. "I just- I just kinda didn't let them hurt Hinata."

"You meatshielded her." There is only a slight accusation in Ino's voice, because Sakura isn't remotely good at fighting and _damn_ , that's such a stupid thing to do. "Geez, Sakura! Next time you should try to get _them_ injured, not yourself!"

Both other girls are blushing profusely and looking at anywhere but Ino by now. She really should shape them up to be a little more confident, this is just sad to witness. If she had known Hinata had it this bad, she would have befriended her too, but she never saw anyone bully the Hyūga.

Sakura was called out for having _really_ weird hair and a big forehead; it got worse when it became obvious that she didn't know how to deal with it or even fight back. She had no sense of standing her ground when Ino met her, and so the Yamanaka took Sakura under her wing, making it her personal task to fix that.

Ino's dad says that she is too bossy-nosy, but he looked really proud of her when she explained why that pink-haired little girl was coming over for dinner.

"You just can't be left alone," she scolds her friend, putting her hands on her hips and shaking her head. Sakura looks slightly teared up. "I'll just have to keep an eye on both of you from now on."

* * *

Hinata needs about a day and half to feel convinced about it: this isn't a dream. Somehow, she made two friends in a single day. Well, it's more like they barged into her life and asserted themselves, shots first and questions later, but she isn't about to complain.

There is a little, tiny part of her that feels guilty for this undeserved kindness. She wonders when they will get tired of it and leave again, when they will notice her flaws or be bothered by her. Hinata doesn't think that they are playing a prank on her, they just… they probably don't get it. People hate her for a reason.

Yet she can't bring herself to tell them, and that makes her feel even worse. She doesn't want to lose this (whatever it is) precious thing that she has gained in the last fifty hours, and it's terrifying to think of what it's going to be like once things go back to normal.

She just… can't really believe it's happening.

"Oi, who put this here? If I catch you, I'll make you eat it!"

Ino whirls around, thorny white rose held expertly in her hand, and glares at the entire classroom. She seems perfectly ready to walk up to each of them and _politely interrogate_ them until the perpetrator spills the beans. The blonde girl looks perfectly threatening… for a seven year old.

Hinata keeps her gaze low, hands on her lap and posture perfect. She is not pretending that there wasn't a flower on her desk… she is just not showing her weakness. Hinata can barely breathe, her throat constricted and her chest in pain.

This is the event that snaps her back into reality: those who despise her most haven't forgotten about her. There has been so much happening lately, that she didn't think about it. Sakura's pitying, worried look is something that she can barely stand; however, it's Ino's anger on her behalf that puzzles her most.

The Yamanaka looks rightfully offended, but… why? Even in the past, their clans had no affiliation. The insult was not directed at her. Ino is pretty, confident and popular - no one would dare to go against her. Hinata is not dumb: it has to be because of her. By associating with the Hyūga, Ino's honor is compromised.

That makes sense; more than the idea that all of this is a setup, at least. It doesn't solve the question of why she would want to befriend Hinata, but at least it explains her behavior reasonably WELL.

"Ino, quit yapping, it wasn't any of us," grumbles Shikamaru, roughly awoken from his morning nap. He doesn't even bother to lift his head from his desk. "No one here dislikes her."

The alluded girl turns red from indignation and rage, waving Hinata's flower in the air even though Shikamaru can't see it. "Then who the heck did this?! _Someone_ put this damn flower on her desk!" she barks, causing a few students to flinch. Iruka isn't here yet, but even he would agree that she is almost louder than Naruto.

Shikamaru grumbles something between his teeth, lifting up his head and glaring at Ino with weary eyes. He seems to consider if the effort of dealing with this will make her shut up, and the blonde taps her foot on the floor, awaiting his response. The boy merely yawns, waving a hand in the air dismissively.

"Think a little. Have you ever seen anyone bully her, in this class?" Ino's eyes narrow dangerously and shoot toward Ami and her group. Said girl raises her hands up defensively, cowed. "You girls, always fighting each other… It has to be an older student, someone who can do it without anyone noticing."

Sakura releases a tiny gasp, her eyes lighting up in understanding. "That's right, Ino! The people who hurt Hinata were new genin, but they were old enough to have failed the exam a few times." Shikamaru takes her words as his cue to let his head drop on the table with a loud _thunk_ , but his complaints are still audible. She can reason this one out just fine. "What's more…" Sakura hesitates for a second, and then she huddles closer to her best friend, whispering confidentially. She casts a hesitant gaze toward the Hyūga. "They dislike her because it's… personal. It must have been someone from their class… or maybe their friends."

Ino's look is an evaluating one, clearly considering Sakura's theory in all seriousness. Her friend is smart - she can solve puzzles faster than anyone, except Shikamaru. Give her the data for a problem and she will solve it with annoying speed This is just the same.

"Fine," huffs Ino, throwing one last menacing glare at the class. She sits down by Hinata's desk, planting the flower inside its pot in defiance and putting it on her part of the table. "That's just… mean and dishonorable! They should pick fights with people who are their size!"

Sakura sits down by Hinata's left, relieved that all the screaming is over. She takes a side glance at Hinata, who hasn't moved a single muscle since she sat down. Iruka should be here soon, and once he is she will be able to concentrate on her class again.

"Hey, you okay?" Ino prods Hinata's cheek, showing once again that she has no sense of personal space whatsoever. _Glompig_. Sakura tries not to snicker, feeling inordinately proud of the pun. Hinata jumps a little and brings a hand up to the offended cheek, as if she had been burned. "You looked pretty zoned out. Now, as I was saying, you really ought to get rid of that coat..."

Hinata is maybe a little marveled at her ability to continue the conversation (well, monologue) that had been going on before they entered the classroom.

* * *

"Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen Sarutobi has been a shinobi since he could walk. His life has been a long one, and he will admit to himself that his bones are weary under the weight of all the burdens he carries. Nonetheless, he knows it's his duty to uphold the values instilled in his very soul. It's the Will of Fire, the belief that every single person in this village is his family and they shall be protected with his very life if needed be.

It doesn't make reading through Itachi's report any easier.

Said Uchiha has the perfect mask covering his expression, but there is a little something - a slight tension to his shoulders, a sliver of aggression in his stance. Even trained ninja would be hard-pressed to spot these little things, yet to him they are clear as day.

Itachi isn't happy.

"I see."

Hiruzen's tone is carefully leveled, showing none of the familiar aches in his heart. He has seen many shinobi die - even if Danzō has been the one sending them on the worst missions, he has agreed to committing atrocities on his own people. He will, however, never feel any less pain at the notion that the very village he wants to protect is not safe.

The whole Hyūga fiasco is just another big blotch of blood in their history. The Uchiha and Hyūga had been fighting for generations before Konoha was created. While the latter clan was a noble one, more dedicated to political meddling than all-out war, their Branch members were perfectly capable of taking missions.

 _Bad blood._ There had been one single case of mixing the clans' heritage: war rape, of course. Rumour had it that the child was born with an eye of each kind, and their prodigal abilities were beyond anything ever conceived.

 _Of course_ , both parents of the problematic hellspawn had claimed to be the offended party, with every bit of deceit that a shinobi can muster. No one really knows the truth, but it's reasonable to think that their clan elders told them to behave this way. Now armed with the excuse of avenging each clan's honor… it was war.

Both wanted to subjugate the other and acquire control of such powerful tools: the famed kekkei genkai, the Sharingan and the Byakugan - two dōjutsu that put them above all others. Whoever had them both in their control, however… Well, the world would be on its knees before it knew what hit.

 _Mark my words, Hyūga! You will rue the day you ruined my clan and our pride!_

Hiruzen's dark eyes move from the report to Itachi, his hands clasped over his desk contemplatively. The clans' hatred for each other never really went away. Hashirama must have been a magician, because it's barely conceivable that he managed to get them both to sign the same treaty.

Tobirama made a grave mistake when he gave authority to one clan over the other, even if it was to appease the Uchiha's sentiment of ostracism. Now it's an entire clan against one little girl, with no one to back her up and no one to help when the goddamn _Police_ turns a blind eye. Most of them don't even know the details, it's just… mob mentality.

The Uchiha are irrational with their emotions. Addressing this issue would bring up a true shitstorm upon them all (and that is the exact word for it, as much as he dislikes using terms like these). The animosity between clans has been mostly ignored throughout the village's history - although imperfect, the balance worked. If it hadn't been for Kitane Hyūga and Madara Uchiha, they might even have made peace with each other.

After the massacre of the Hyūga, however… Hinata has been singled out as a scapegoat. And Hiruzen is trapped between a sword and a hard place, because this is the type of conflict that could escalate into a civil war. He can't have his own operatives fighting each other. The Uchiha may be integrated within the village now, but what would it take for them to feel targeted again? Certainly, he does _not_ want Danzō's input - that man would kidnap the Hyūga survivor and make her vanish without trace.

"You are aware that this situation is devoid of any rightful solution, Itachi-kun," he muses aloud, because if there is someone who will understand that, it's this child. Although… his eyes are too hard, the lines on his expression too full of weariness. Itachi is a shinobi, not a kid. "I thank you for your intervention - the genin involved have been sentenced to community work as rehabilitation for their wrongful behavior."

Not to mention, if Itachi hadn't found the two girls, their injuries could have been so much worse. He can only guess why Sakura Haruno got involved in this mess - although it was unexpected, he has gauged the girl's abilities more than once. Sharp mind, raw emotion. Victim of verbal bullying, until Ino intervened. Her history is nothing to celebrate, either. Given her circumstances… it's only natural that she acted irrationally.

So young… these children should never know the horrors of war, but here they are, suffering them by the hand of their own kin.

"You have done well, even if you went against your clan in your decision. You honor the Will of Fire," the Hokage continues, and though his tone is dry, there is pride in his words. Few would dare to go against the masses… Much less, their own family. Even for the sake of doing the right thing, choices like these are never easy. "Mebuki Haruno has expressed her concern over this situation, as well." _More like she chewed out the whole shinobi system for a solid five minutes._ But Hiruzen Sarutobi is too dignified to put it in those words, even in his own mind. "There is something you might want to see. She found this to be a satisfactory solution."

Itachi edges closer to the Hokage's desk, eyes settling on the crystal ball that rests on a purple pillow. The images come into shape between Hiruzen's hands, and Itachi immediately recognises the lavender eyes of Hinata Hyūga and Sakura Haruno's bright pink hair. There is a third girl with them, doubtlessly a Yamanaka.

The latter two are standing in front of the last Hyūga in what can only be protective stances. A few older Academy students are shouting angrily at them, though they seem to be hesitating to attack. Itachi recognises the school's backyard, in a grove hidden from the teachers' eyes. _Again?_

"Watch," the Hokage adds, his calm demeanor non-betraying of his own distaste.

Sakura has a white rose in her hand, and though her fingers get prickled on the thorns, she throws it at the oldest student like one would throw a senbon. The flower smacks with a wet thud against his face, catching him off-guard, and there is the tiniest grin on the pinkette's face. The Yamanaka _whoops_ and gives her a hearty pat in the back, while Hinata watches from behind them, frozen in place.

Itachi does not fail to notice that some of those kids, just like the ones he faced a few days ago, belong to his clan.

The attacked student snarls in rage and charges forward, only for the Yamanaka to trip him with unexpected flexibility. He faceplants on the grass, and the blonde girl plants a foot on his back, triumphant. She seems to be shouting something along the lines of _who's next?_

With their leader defeated by a seven year old (even though he fell for it _because_ he underestimated the girl), the rest of the group starts to consider backing off. Sakura pitches in, pointing in the direction of the Academy with what has to be a high-pitched _I'll tell the teachers if you don't stop now!_

Hinata is completely unresponsive, but after the group scampers off (with what can only be intention of regrouping and avenging themselves later), the two other girls turn to her. Sakura hesitates for an instant before hugging her newfound friend tightly, and she is definitely crying a river for Hinata's sake.

The Yamanaka protests about Sakura being a crybaby, and then grins brightly enough to blind anyone, glomping the two of them. There it is, just barely visible even despite Hiruzen's redirection of the crystal ball's focus: Hinata is smiling. Just a little.

The images fade, and the Third Hokage returns his full attention towards Itachi. Something in his eyes is bright, lively, despite all the weariness in his bones. "Sometimes, the best solution is to entrust them with things like these. Even if they look like innocent little girls, they are our future, after all."

* * *

Sakura takes a look at the band-aids around her fingers, face scrunched up and mind deep in thought. Academy students rarely get their wounds healed by a medic-nin, so more often than not they end up with scars and callouses all over their hands, because it's to be expected that kids under twelve will hurt themselves if you give them pointy stuff.

That's all fine and dandy if they're boys, but she is a girl. Even though she has tried really hard not to be injured in ways that could leave a mark on her body, she was holding that rose so rightly, so angrily… Throwing it away ripped off some of the skin on her fingers. It was surprisingly easy to pretend it didn't hurt, but there are ugly cuts on her hands now.

Ino got really mad when she noticed the blood that she was trying to conceal, seeping out of her tightly closed fists. Sakura doesn't like showing weakness, because that means people can pick on her for it.

Her thoughts keep circling around the issue of becoming less and less attractive as time goes on. It's to be expected of any shinobi that isn't a true prodigy - Sasuke, for example, is perfectly capable of nailing a tree with shuriken and has almost-perfect accuracy. He wins most spars without getting bruised.

But Sakura… Sakura can't win fights like he can, she isn't as talented at the physical exercises. The only thing she has going for her is being pretty, and if she can't do stuff like this right, she won't even have that.

This incident just brings to light that she isn't good at any of the things that really matter to a shinobi, so how could Sasuke possibly want her? There are a lot of girls after him - prettier girls, stronger girls. They don't hesitate to try and win his heart, much unlike her.

"Sakura-san, are you alright?"

Hinata's whisper causes Sakura to jump a little, practically flailing around to look at her. The Hyūga girl turns away, trying to conceal an amused smile, and the pinkette blushes intensely. Ino is still in the bathroom, where she decided to go about fussing intensely about her hair. Sakura thinks her hair looked just fine ( _because, unlike Sakura, she didn't get a scratch_ ), but the Yamanaka vanished and left the two of them to their own devices.

Lunch break should be ending in about five minutes, but the weather is so nice that they decided to sit on a sun-bathed bench.

"Y-yes!" Sakura stammers, puffing out her cheeks. She doesn't know what to say after that.

"Does it… h-hurt?" inquires Hinata, hands fiddling. The Hyūga doesn't look at anywhere in particular, but the blush on her cheeks is very visible. Sakura takes a moment to consider telling her to leave her hair long, because it helps with hiding her face when it's needed, and it would probably look prettier.

"Not at all!" Lie. It itches. "It's just… I try to take care of my skin," Sakura admits, lips upturned. She blushes a little bit more. "There is… someone that, one day, I hope to marry. He probably wouldn't like it if my skin was ugly."

Hinata blinks at her, rather owlishly. She would never have thought that Sakura's family was the type to arrange marriages. At least, not this early. Perhaps it would be impolite of her to pry, but she is slightly curious.

"I'm s-sure your f-future husband will be... h-happy to have you by his side, Sakura-san." Much to her puzzlement Sakura turns bright scarlet, covering her face with her hands. Is that blood on her nose…? Did her cuts reopen? Hinata opens her mouth to ask, but the words never come out despite the frenzy of worried thoughts in her head. She feels vaguely guilty of something, though she doesn't know of what exactly.

"Y-you think so…?" Sakura mutters, eyes closed tightly and body curled defensively. One bloody hand moves to her own head, and Sakura pets her red ribbon in an effort to calm herself. "I don't… I don't really know him," she admits, because if she has spilled this many beans, she might as well go all the way. "He's just someone I… admire." That's the word, right? "A lot."

Hinata's gaze wanders to the dirt below her dangling feet. Her legs can't even reach the ground, and it just makes her feel tiny and insignificant. How lucky of Sakura, to have such a bright future with someone she likes. It's almost like something straight out of a fairytale.

But, if she thinks about it… this whole situation feels like something that would happen in one. Sakura came out of nowhere, and did something that Hinata would never have imagined anyone would do. And then went beyond her wildest expectations. Well, it's not true that Hinata never thought about it. Somewhere in her mind, there was always hope… but she tried not to daydream too much. It wasn't going to happen.

And yet it did. Hinata knows that her clan didn't approve of stories like these too much, but she read once a story about a princess saved by a brave samurai. Except, well, Sakura isn't really like a knight… but she did defend her like one.

"What about you, Hinata? Do you have someone you like?" Hinata eeps and looks at her in confusion. She was a little too caught up with her pondering. Sakura seems to catch onto her distraction, but instead of being angry, she just smiles playfully. "You know, someone you look up to, someone you admire and want to spend your life with?"

 _Someone I like…_

Hinata considers it for a moment. There are very few people that she interacts with on a daily basis; she goes shopping sometimes, for food and stuff like that, but she doesn't think that shopkeepers count.

She talks to her teachers a little bit more than that, but they are so old… She could never think of them like that. They are authority figures, and she respects them because it's what she was taught to do. Her schoolmates… no, not really. The only ones who notice Hinata don't like her.

But she has friends now, doesn't she? There's Ino and Sakura… Although, if it wasn't for the latter, she wouldn't know either of them. However, they are here for real. It has been a few days, and they're still by her side. Maybe, just maybe...

Hinata shakes her head a little, as if to cast the thoughts away. She gives herself a little more time to mull it over, and Sakura waits patiently for her response.

That's also a thing: unlike Ino, who seems to consider silence a sacrilegious thing, Sakura knows what it's like to be shy. She always waits for her response, and not once does she seem exasperated or impatient.

Sakura, who has been nothing but kind, despite hearing horrible things about her. Sakura, who was the first person to not only defend her, but also jumped in to protect her with her own body, even though she got herself badly injured by doing it. Sakura, who decided to befriend her just because...

 _She knew. She knew I wouldn't be able to defend myself. She thinks I deserve a chance._

Just because she thinks that Hinata is worth it, no questions asked. What Sakura sees in her, she doesn't know, but the pinkette's actions speak volumes.

"S-someone I look up t-to… s-someone I like a l-lot," Hinata tries to get the words out, but they all come in a jumble. She feels embarrassed and oddly vulnerable. She smiles a little, her cheeks heating up and her face turning away in a vain effort to hide it. "Yeah, I… I t-think I do."

* * *

 **A.N.:** For the record, I won't guarantee that all updates will be this quick. There is a lot going on behind the scenes in this story - Sakura and Hinata are still oblivious to it. I don't want to have to go back and edit in details I missed. You can expect updates within the 1-3 week range (within an arc) _,_ more or less. Once the arc is done, updates might slow down again.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter! I always worry about pacing and structuring in particular, although consistent and well-developed characterisation is one of the things I hold in highest regard. Nonetheless, I hope you liked it.

 **Facts of Interest (FoI):**

 _[1] Hinata's rose:_ look up Japanese bullying. From what I know (correct me if I'm wrong!), leaving a white flower in someone's place/desk can either be because the person occupying it died or... as a way to say 'I wish you were dead'. Why a rose? Because of association to her mother - it's both pointing out that Hinata has no family and wishing that she was dead as well. The more you know. _[/1]_

 _[2] Why doesn't Hiruzen send ANBU to watch Hinata?_ : The answer isn't "bashing the Hokage/Uchiha". I dislike neither (and wouldn't dare to treat them differently from other characters if I did). I hope to be able to convey Hiruzen's reasoning in the future. _[/2]_

 _[3] Meaning of Hansha: reflection. [/3]_

Cheerps!


	3. ARC I (Haru) - Sazanami

**A.N.:** First of all, sorry for the long hiatus! I'm not abandoning the story, 'kay? I got an ouchie in my arms that kept me from writing until a few days ago (I only had about 2K words written up until that). Yep, _an ouchie_ , deal with it. I'm a writer, I can do what I want. /sarcasm

Last chapter of the first arc! (Duh.)

 **Warning:** a little of _Barebones'_ insanity slipped in here. There are semi-vague descriptions of some bad stuff, a whole load of implications and all that jazz. Is "articulate 6-7 year olds" a valid warning, I wonder? Aside from that, the narration might be confusing as hell, but it should be understandable - this is an intended feature, fret not (unless I fucked up and it just makes no sense).

Thank you so much for the silent and verbal support you've given me. I'm very inspired to keep writing, and I'm glad to be back!

* * *

 **.| ARC I |** Haru **| CHAPTER 3 |** Sazanami **|.**

* * *

Hinata tucks herself away, using a conveniently shaped tree as her cover, as the screams fill the flower field. Her fingers tense around the empty bento box, her head low and body hunched defensively. She has to remind her jittery self that this has nothing to do with her. She didn't do anything wrong.

 _But she could have stopped them, so it's still her fault, somehow._

It's just that Ino and Sakura have started to fight a lot lately. She doesn't really know the reason why, but the tension has been in the air for a week. In their eyes, Hinata herself has become a lot jumpier and mostly mute, but it really is hard to feel at ease when there is hostility and subtle warfare flying between her two friends at all times.

They become so spaced out that, half the time, they don't even notice if she slinks away and shelters herself from the worst of it.

"Why do you always have to be so bossy! You're so annoying!" shrieks Sakura, probably with her hands on her hips and a pout on her expression. Hinata flinches a little bit, and so desperately hopes to never mess up (whatever Ino did), so that this anger won't be directed at her. She doesn't think she could survive something like that.

"What?! You're the one who's been all up in my business, lately!" retorts Ino, and Hinata can picture the Yamanaka girl holding her flowers with a tad too much force. They never hit each other or anything like that, but this is just as bad.

"That's because you're all over everything I do! Just…! Just leave us alone, Ino-pig!"

There is the rustling of clothes, and Hinata dares to take a peek over her esteemed tree. Sakura pushes the dumbfounded Ino, making her lose her balance and fall to the ground. The pinkette's eyes are full of tears, her whole body shaking; it's all hurt and anger, but where did it come from?

Sakura seems to debate her next action for a few seconds, her lips halfway parted as if she wanted to keep speaking, but she never does. She just shakes her head and turns away from Ino with a stomp.

What happened to make her like this?

"Hina-chan!" Sakura calls out, and the Hyūga feels terribly tempted to hide again and pretend she isn't there. _But Sakura will probably be mad at_ her _if she does that, because what kind of person hides from their best friend?_

Shaking her head minutely, Hinata resolves herself to come out. She hasn't done anything wrong… right? Sakura won't be angry at her. Her heartbeat keeps jolting, leaving an unpleasant sensation in her chest that she is altogether too familiar with, but she steps from behind her cover regardless.

Who is she trying to fool? Hinata is absolutely terrified. Sakura and Ino are her world, and seeing them fight… It just breaks everything to pieces. She doesn't know how to stand, or breathe, or what to do. Who should she side with? Who, of the two people she has put on a beloved altar, is being _bad_? Are they both in the wrong? Her guideline is broken, and she doesn't know what to hold onto.

"Y-yes?" she utters, aware of Sakura's eyes falling on her, but unable to meet the girl's gaze. Isn't that rude, though? Shouldn't she look up? Centimeter by centimeter, Hinata raises her head and forces herself to face the person she admires most. Why is she even trying to hide it? She's so scared that she can't think.

"I'm not gonna be friends with Ino anymore! Are you coming or not?"

Hinata's eyes widen, and her gaze jumps between her two favorite people at dizzying speed. Ino seems surprised as well, because she stands up and points an accusatory finger at Sakura, much faster than the Hyūga herself can manage to respond.

"What?! Sakura, what's gotten into you?" exclaims the blonde, with none of her usual self-assured posture. Hinata sees the tremble in her arm, the pain in her eyes. The fear and confusion that are plaguing her own heart. Ino looks lost.

Sakura purses her lips, turning to her best friend in a whirl. "Ya should know! I- I don't wanna to be in your shadow anymore! I won't let ya take everything away, Ino! We should be rivals from now on, and one day I'll beat ya!"

Hinata's fingers seize, her gaze darting to the box held in her hands. Is it because… _because she burdened Sakura_?

How much did she hurt Sakura, without even knowing? How could she be so oblivious? _You did this, you did this, you did this…_ The voice rises in her head, full of hatred and contempt, and she remembers that one fateful night, abruptly pulled away from the present with unforgiving force.

...His hands were covered in blood, light clothes stained with stinking entrails, yet he still managed to move so silently that not a single floorboard creaked. Looming over her like a harbinger of death, that deranged look in his eyes, the rest of his expression cold as stone.

 _You did this._

Hinata's hands fly to her head, a shriek escaping her lips before she can contain it. The bento box falls to the ground, and her knees hit the grass a second later. Someone calls her name, but the echoes of that night are the only thing she can hear.

She curls up tighter when she feels a hand on her shoulder, but there isn't any pain or scathing words filled with hatred. A familiar smell floods her nostrils, almost indistinguishable from all the other flowery scents of the meadow. Something warm wraps around her immobile body, and the embrace leaves her breathless.

Sakura was the first person to ever touch her so closely, yet with so much affection. No one had ever professed such a desire for physical contact, without harmful intent. Those who hurt her always backed off like she was tainted... But the pinkette has never missed a chance to comfort her, forever firm and reassuring.

It's because of this that the gesture feels welcoming, even though it catches her off-guard and it's scary at first. The flashes of that night scroll past Hinata's eyes, but her senses of touch and smell keep her grounded in the present.

Instead of being swept up by the maelstrom of memory and emotion, the Hyūga takes a deep, shuddering breath, her hands tightening around Sakura's shoulders. Her lifeline.

"Did we upset you?" mutters Sakura, her voice soft in contrast with the other ones.

Hinata shakes her head vehemently, eyes shut and body wracked by tremors.

"You gotta breathe better, Hina-chan." That's Ino, a little off to the side. She sounds like she isn't sure what to do for once. "I can count it for you, okay?"

Sakura doesn't say anything, her own heart sped up to uncomfortable levels. Hinata can feel it against her chest, beating erratically. The pinkette's hands rub between her shoulderblades in slow, circular motions, even though her fingers are trembling.

Time dissolves into a messy stream of memories, and there is nothing in the world but them for what feels like an eternity. Sakura doesn't seem to mind the wet mess over her pretty dress, or how her clothes are stained. When they finally separate, it's not because she got tired of it, but because Hinata's eyes have finally come back to focus.

The world is altogether too bright, and there are wisps of chakra dancing in her sight. She blinks a few times to disperse the Byakugan fully, and then exhaustion catches up to her, causing the girl to lose her balance. Two pairs of hands reach out to her, helping to gently lower her to the ground.

"It's alright now, Hina-chan. We're here with you."

Hinata stares up at the two girls near her. Their anger is gone, replaced by genuine concern over her person; for once, she doesn't think that interrupting them is a bad thing. Sakura and Ino smile at her almost in unison, and then they stare at each other, puzzled by their timing. They burst into a fit of giggles, their argument gone and forgotten, and plop down on the ground by Hinata's sides.

"That was so dumb…"

Sakura lowers her head in shame, and Ino's lips draw a lopsided frown, even as she counts the numbers for Hinata's breaths to follow. The Hyūga girl stiffens a little, literally in the middle of everything, and wonders if they will start arguing again.

She misses the accomplice glint in her friends' eyes, behind her hunched form, as their gazes meet in response to her tension. They nod to each other, and then simultaneously place their hands on her shoulders. Hinata looks at them in confusion, but their eyes are bright and their smiles genuine.

"We're not gonna fight like that again," Sakura promises her, and she means it. "Friends should help each other, always."

"Yah," Ino interjects, speaking after a very long time in the silence. Her voice has the slightest tremble. She hesitates for an instant before her next words, but she sounds slightly more confident now. "If we fight, we're being mean to you, Hina-chan. No more. Promise."

Ino offers a hand to Sakura, well in sight of Hinata's eyes, and the pinkette takes it after a heartbeat of hesitation. Their fingers curl into the Seal of Reconciliation.

"Promise."

* * *

The Uchiha clan has always been renowned for their visual prowess. They are always alert and observant, catching the most minute of details, even without their Sharingan. Few know that their other senses are dulled, as a countermeasure to their inhuman sight.

Sasuke notices the very day that someone stops watching his every move. From his desk, he takes a brief, inconspicuous glance at the rest of the classroom. Sakura Haruno has her back turned to him, engrossed in a conversation with Hinata Hyūga.

There is mild, detached curiosity at this. Despite the renowned eyes that the last Hyūga possesses, she is the only girl in the class that doesn't watch him like a chibi hawk. Maybe it rubbed off on Haruno.

Itachi said that he could take his 'situation' with his female peers as training: it will help him get used to being alert when undercover. Sasuke, who hypes for any sort of training like there's no tomorrow, took his words to heart. It's his only consolation.

Still, if Hyūga could spread this anomaly to the entire class, he would be infinitely grateful. He never did like being watched.

"Oi, what's the answer to this one? It's not that I don't know, I'm just making sure you do." Sasuke feels the urge to slam his forehead against the desk. He really wishes Naruto could follow Sakura's steps as well. Dulled sense of hearing or not, this kid is too loud.

* * *

"Hey, mom, I know it's against the rules, but…"

Sakura's conviction evaporates almost in its entirety when the moment of truth arrives. She twiddles with her fingers, trying to keep her eyes somewhere near her mother's face. On the other side of the table, her father peeks over a newspaper with blatant curiosity.

"Can I bring Hina-chan over? For her birthday."

Mebuki Haruno exhales just a little harder than it's necessary, exchanging a glance with her husband. Kizashi frowns minutely and then shrugs with nonchalance. Sakura pushes rice around her plate, extremely uncomfortable. She doesn't like to question authority figures, but some slivers of her determination still remain.

After all, Sakura still remembers Hinata's surprised stuttering when she offered to celebrate her birthday. It is unacceptable that the Hyūga hasn't had a proper party, or at least, can't remember it. No one should spend their birthday alone, especially not in the creepy Hyūga compound.

It was the smile that got to her. Hinata really looked like she was about to cry, and Sakura panicked and flailed around for a few moments, until her friend assured her that she was just so immensely happy.

It's worth a try.

"Please, I don't want her to be lonely…" Sakura pleads, regaining her spirits. She couldn't imagine Hinata spending a day so special on her own. "If it's not okay to celebrate here, I'll go to her house instead." Even though she _hates_ the old compound. She cares about Hinata that much. Her mother looks at her skeptically. "I'll do more chores? And… and I'll eat everything on the plate." Haggling with her diet on the table is a desperate, last-resource measure.

"Alright, alright," concedes her mother, bringing up a hand to halt Sakura's nervous blabber. "But only when your father and I are home." The pinkette nods a bit too fast, smiling with visible excitement. She practically bounces away from the table, settling the dishes in the kitchen sink.

She doesn't see the way Mebuki's shoulders sag and her eyes turn downcast. She misses Kizashi's heavy sigh and comforting pat on his wife's back. Sakura doesn't even hear the hopeless _it will be okay_.

* * *

 _Friendship means sacrifice. So, choose your friends carefully, Sakura-chan_ , _just like your fights._

The words echo in Sakura's mind, spoken to her by her gravelly father. Back then, she didn't understand what it really meant. She does now, though, after making a promise to always stand by her friends.

She isn't brave enough to confess the truth to Ino, but she resolves to follow her word to the end. After all, it's what honorable people do, and she wants to be like that, one day. She gives up a dream in silence, tucking it away somewhere it won't be a nuisance.

Sakura would be surprised about how fast she forgets it, if she could remember what was so important to begin with.

Sacrifice, she decides, isn't a bad thing. It means you have something worth fighting for. So she isn't sad to let go, not when she thinks of Ino's bellowing laughter and Hinata's tiny smiles.

A powerful emotion blooms in her chest after she tells them that they can celebrate Hinata's birthday together. The last of the Hyūga can't breathe for a moment, but after a few instants (and a poke from Ino), she blushes fiercely, and bows fast enough to make her back ache in protest.

Hinata's eyes are slightly moist with tears, but neither Ino nor Sakura can remember ever seeing a smile so wide on her face. It's in this moment the pinkette tells herself _I made the right choice._

Ino has her birthday a week after that. She is the only person that Sakura is allowed to have a sleepover with, and only in rare occasions. Hinata, despite their crestfallen expressions, insists that she has to go back home to 'tend to the garden', so she can't spend the night with them.

"Maybe we can sleep at your house, Hina-chan?" Sakura inquires. "Since it's empty..."

Ino looks absolutely mortified at her words, as if she could not believe that someone can be so absolutely tactless. Hinata flinches in a rather visible manner. Their reactions clue Sakura in, and understanding dawns in her eyes, intermixed with horror.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Hina-chan, I… I didn't mean it like that!" she splutters, her face redder than a tomato and her hands firmly clasped in a nervous tic. "I meant that you don't… well, you don't have to spend the day alone. It's a ce-… err, celebration."

The blonde Yamanaka sighs in both relief and exasperation, nodding along. "Yeah. If you think it's a bother, stop that: I'd like to have my friends with me on my birthday," she adds, quickly nipping one of Hinata's worries in the bud.

"I'm n-not offended, it's alright," mutters Hinata, because she can't stand watching Sakura flagellate herself over something like this. The relief in her friend's eyes is enough to calm down Hinata's racing heartbeat. There is a hopeful glint in Sakura's eyes, and the Hyūga already knows that she won't be able to say no a second time. "I… I s-suppose it's okay. I'd- I'd like to be with you, too."

Sakura cheers, throwing a fist up in the air.

Somewhere in the background of her ensuing apology, a dream fades into nothingness, and another one begins to bloom.

* * *

Hinata has always been aware of her nightmares, but she didn't know they were bad enough to cause her friends to stare in pure shock. She wakes up, a sheen of sweat making her clothes stick to her body, a look of panic on her face. Her eyes dart from Ino's face to Sakura's, and she stumbles over her apologies for waking them up.

Sakura holds her hands, rubbing Hinata's fingers until they loosen and let go of the sheets, and they end up tangled in an unsteady hold.

A spasm makes Hinata's entire body go tense, her eyes unfocused and following the movement of things that aren't hiding in the dark. Despite the painful pressure, Sakura doesn't let go. Ino nods at her, and quickly makes her way out of the room, in search of tea. For all her social blunders, Sakura seems to know how to deal with Hinata's attacks best.

The wooden, sparsely furnished room feels eerily silent and empty. Something seems to loom over them like a phantom menace. The pinkette swallows her unease at the unnatural emptiness, her thumbs stroking the back of Hinata's hands, like her parents do with her. She whispers disconnected words of reassurance, kneeling next to Hinata's hunched form, waiting for the worst of it to pass.

Sakura knows that, when panic is at its height, few things can dent the overwhelming cloak that fogs up the brain. Hinata seems to notice her after a few minutes, and her only reaction is to practically jump towards the pinkette, holding on for her dear life.

Ino manages to goad Hinata into taking a few small sips of her tea before it goes completely cold. Sakura has difficulty disentangling herself from her friend; Hinata herself seems reluctant to let go, her small hands now holding the cup lifelessly.

The Hyūga raises her eyes when she hears a sniffle, only to find Sakura crying. Hinata's jaw comes slightly unhinged, her cup shaking dangerously in her tremulous hands. Her throat is too hoarse to speak, but she doesn't need to say anything. Ino can only stare.

"N-no, Hina-chan. I-it's not your... fault," Sakura hiccups, wiping away her tears, though it's a moot effort. She smiles a little, just to show that it's fine, but the gesture looks completely off. "It's okay to be scared," she continues, quoting her parents and quite grateful for having them. Hinata doesn't have any family.

That Neji isn't family, for sure, not after what he did to his clan. There is a spark of anger towards him, but Sakura's mind is occupied with someone much more important.

Ino looks oddly calm, the most composed out of the three, and she nods to herself. It was a good idea to get tea for everyone, after all. They're going to need it.

"Hina-chan," Ino starts, as softly as possible. "What happened?"

It could mean 'what did you dream?', but it's not that. Hinata seems to understand this much, because she jerks her head toward the Yamanaka, faster than she has ever moved. Her eyes are full of shifting emotions, and Ino is quick to add: "You don't have to tell if you don't want. But we're your friends, we're going to worry about you anyway. It's just that, if you tell, maybe we'll be able to help you better."

Sakura nods shakily, taking Ino's handkerchief to clean the mess on her face (and she is grateful that Ino is so good at planning ahead) and forming a slightly more assured smile. Hinata's gaze shifts from one face to the other in contemplation, her fingers absently rapping on the ceramic cup.

"I…" Hinata starts, her eyes firmly glued to her tea. "Are you o-okay with that? If I t-tell you… you won't be mad?" There is a desperate glint in her eyes, which only Ino catches. The waver in her voice, however, is something even Sakura notices. They both shake their heads at the same time, without an ounce of doubt.

"It's okay," Ino assures her, just for good measure, quickly compiling all the data on an imagined desk in her head. This is going to be her first serious psychological evaluation. She just barely reached the age of seven, but she is a ninja - shinobi are always precocious when it comes to maturity in behavior and thought.

Hinata takes a deep breath, steeling herself for the task at hand. It's not that she doesn't trust her friends; it just feels wrong to confess things like these. Her sins. Her fatal failures. Her weaknesses that people have picked on-

 _No._ Ino came to her house just to be with her on her own birthday. Sakura snuck around her parents' restrictions to be here, instead of leaving her alone, even though she doesn't like breaking the rules.

They deserve the truth, even if… even if it scares Hinata to death. She can only believe in them; believe that they won't abandon her, no matter how bad she is.

"Alright…" the Hyūga whispers, pushing through the emotions that choke the air out of her. "M-my family... " Hinata bites the insides of her cheeks, her throat closing up. "My family… had a very special Seal: the Caged Bird Curse." _And they would be so, so angry if they knew that she is revealing its secrets to outsiders…_ "E-every Branch member had it. It protected the Byakugan, destroying it when they died. I… I didn't know, but it was used to enslave them as well."

Sakura's eyes brighten up in recognition, but she doesn't speak. Hinata takes a sip of her tea, trying to ease the knot in her throat, but the sense of guilt doesn't go away. The Hyūga's perfect enunciation is at odds with her childish features and small voice, creating an odd ambience. The room is deathly silent.

"It- It could be used to punish them as well, so they would always serve the Main house," she continues. "My cousin…" _Can't say that name._ "H-h-he was b-born in the Branch family. He was a genius, b-but he was branded and put aside. I didn't…" Her breath escapes in a shudder, and Hinata speaks so fast that it's almost impossible to understand her words. "I didn't know, I was so little, I didn't know how awful it must have been." _I'm so sorry...!_

She was so ignorant of something so cruel, a willing participant of it. She never did anything to stop it, even when Neji stepped out of line and was punished for it. She thought it was normal. That it was _fine._

That must be why she can't remember doing something bad enough to earn so much hatred. But, if what he said is right… maybe, it's just because she was the heiress to such a terrible system, the product and representation of all the things wrong with the Hyūga.

She's just as bad as the rest of them. She would have been another monster if she had grown up with them, so ignorant and cruel. It is her fate, and she was punished for all of her sins.

"Sakura, you… you know it already. That girl wasn't lying," Hinata adds, her shoulders slouching in defeat. Her voice is high-pitched and uneven, but she has to finish this. It's the least she can do.

"My cousin… cleansed the clan. The classmates that had seen him suffer and did nothing. He k-killed the ones… the ones who graduated, because ninja should defend justice, not… not be sheep in a herd. _Sheep aren't individuals, thus, they don't deserve mercy, because they have no future._ " Just like Hinata. Her voice is near its breaking point, but she is close, so close…

"And I… I was spared, because death was too good for me... _death could not wipe away my sins._ I…! I lived j-just b-because I should atone for our c-clan! B-because… _it's my fate to bear their burdens, so I will, even after their deaths!_ "

Hinata's voice cracks and a sob wracks her entire body, the memories of that day replaying in her mind like clockwork. The Byakugan can process so much more information than the Sharingan, with an unholy level of accuracy… It is only logical that it would be decidedly better at retaining it. She remembers every single detail.

The screams are muted, and her body only barely retains the sensation of the physical pain. The images, however, are vivid and taunting. They have been burned in her eyes so deeply that she sees them even now. The ghastly figures dance around the room, replaying a battle that was never fair and always ended in gore.

He punished every single one of them. The monsters and the sheep, equally, one instance of torture for each of their sins. He said that _nobody should be forgotten, not even demons._ Otherwise, their crimes would be absolved _._ He burned it all in her brain, in her eyes, branding her with a different type of curse. After all, he had methods to ensure Hinata would always remember.

Who could have known that a genius would figure out how to make bodies blow up from the inside out, abusing of the Byakugan's proficiency and his own unparalleled strength? That he would be able to put an entire household to sleep with a genjutsu, only to wake them up one by one… dragging a terrified Hinata to each and every room?

Her eyes burn, vision blurry and spanning the entirety of the Hyūga's compound. In each room, she sees one slow and methodical murder. No one helped. No one even noticed what was going on, until it was too late. The Uchiha policemen arrived at midday, when the Hyūga shinobi were reported to have disappeared en masse.

They found her in a pool of blood and entrails, clutching the tattered remains of her nightgown and halfway past death's gate. She can't remember anything for weeks after that, but everything of that day is so vivid… And now, it's as if she was reliving it once more.

There are no words capable of encompassing this nightmare. The world loses its consistency around her, shimmering in bursts of chakra. She can't hear the silence, only the bubbling screams of her memories. Her sense of tact goes completely numb, and there is only the horror she sees, repeated over and over, in each and every room of the compound.

And then, it all fades to black and she collapses lifelessly.

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki doesn't understand the meaning of boundaries or rules. To him, everything is an obstacle to overcome. He has driven teachers to tears and given them sore throats by stubbornness alone (including his 'skill' in forgetting any and every theoretical explanation).

It is thus only natural that the Uchiha are his mortal enemies. People who think he is beneath, just because they are naturally good, piss him off beyond belief. He will show them who's boss, believe it!

For this reason, he was initially rather miffed with the monthly checkups that they do on him. He has been told in clear terms that psychological evaluations are required for aspiring shinobi, and so far no one has said a peep about him being inadequate, so it's a small victory. He'll take what he can get, even if those spinning eyes are creepy.

However, he kind of (maybe) likes- no, approves of Shisui Uchiha (also known as Girly-Lashes, which is one of Naruto's best nicknames to the date). It's a matter of competition: he has never managed to truly outrun Shisui. He can give most ninja a run for their money, something he is inordinately proud of, but this one Uchiha is fast as hell and never lets him escape from their sessions.

Maybe, just maybe, he actually likes the challenge (and he also gets to miss class sometimes, like today).

That's why, the morning Shisui doesn't appear to drag him out of a bush, Naruto starts to feel a little bit angry. Has he been abandoned? (A little voice in the back of his head feels a pang of anguish. What if Shisui ditched him, like most people do?).

Naruto shakes his head, resolving himself to stomp all the way to Shisui's house and tell him things straight. Even if the Uchiha doesn't like him, he still should show up for the evaluations. It's fine if people don't want to spend time with him ( _it's not_ ), but Naruto knows that this is too much.

Besides, no one dares to demean him and gets away with it!

He lets himself in once he reaches Shisui's house, not too surprised to see Sasuke sulking on the bench of the lobby. Shisui's residence has been adapted to receive the visitors who need evaluations, so it feels more like a hospital waiting room than anything else. Despite the presence of his self-proclaimed rival, the room smells clean and familiar, just like always.

"Oi, bastard," Naruto greets, without much enthusiasm. Sasuke pretends to ignore him for about half a minute, but the Uzumaki boy knows that the façade won't last. Sasuke always gets pissy when his brother doesn't pay attention to him, and that happens despite his best efforts to tail Itachi everywhere. "Is Shisui home?"

At the mention of the one boy who steals the most of his brother's time, Sasuke frowns, glaring at Naruto. It's not that the young Uchiha is a dick, per se, but Naruto just loves to piss him off. Vexed Uchiha, the most amusing of human expressions.

"They're busy, so stop being so loud and wait," Sasuke spits out, turning his head toward the second door. 'They' is definitely Itachi and Shisui, judging by Sasuke's distaste. "Haruno, Hyūga and Yamanaka are with them."

Naruto's brows furrow. Sakura-chan is here? Shisui said that only special people need evaluations, so why would she be in this place? Maybe she's just there as moral support for one of the other two… Girls do that, right? They go everywhere together.

He would know. He hasn't been able to approach Sakura in a while, because she is always flanked by Ino and Hinata.

The Uzumaki paces around the room, much to Sasuke's consternation. Naruto can't stand still, and Sasuke feels himself getting uneasy with these antics. Barely ten minutes later, the blond punches his own palm, startling Sasuke out of his reverie. "That's it! I'm gonna spy on them and see what they're doing. Wanna tag along?"

Sasuke scoffs; a vaguely insulting mutter escapes his lips, and the boy dismisses Naruto with a nonchalant gesture. Not a minute after Naruto runs off, there is muffled, high-pitched yelling in the vicinity, and the second door slides open very quickly. The aforementioned Uzumaki is flung through it before he can finish his protests, but he doesn't get up when he hits the floor.

The door closes before Sasuke can see who is on the other side, and he needs about five seconds to blink and process what just happened. He stares at Naruto, expecting some sort of explanation, but his not-friend looks oddly pale, almost sick.

A shiver courses their bodies when a wave of chakra surges from the wood of the door. A complicated design of black ink spreads through its surface like an animated spider web. Sasuke knows from experience that Shisui only does this when he needs absolutely everything to stay out of an evaluation, insulating himself in his own little world.

The timing is appropriate: Naruto jumps to his feet a second later, dashing toward the door and already bellowing a string of obnoxious demands. "HEY! WHAT THE HELL?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO THEM!" His fists are about to collide against the door when he is flung back by a burst of chakra, sent sprawling on the floor once more. " **SHISUI, YOU BASTARD! OPEN THE DOOR!** "

Sasuke flinches at the volume, an annoyed sneer on his lips. Before Naruto can charge pointlessly once more, he finally decides to step up and grab him by his shoulders. The Uchiha shakes Naruto roughly, making the boy's head loll back and forth for an instant, but the blond quickly retaliates by holding onto his rival's arms and trying to push him away.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yells, eyes wide open and flashing red. Naruto's muscles go slack on pure instinct. Something in the blond boy's gut churns and coils with immeasurable tension for an instant, and then goes numb and soft.

What was he doing again?

"Naruto," Sasuke repeats, lower this time. He tries to blink away the odd blur in his sight, and finally manages to focus his gaze. Naruto's blue eyes are listless for a few seconds, and he looks quite dazed. "What did you do? What's happening?"

Naruto looks like he is only hearing gibberish instead of actual words, quite like how a class tends to go for him, but after a moment he blinks and returns to his typical, overly exuberant expression. However, there is a heavy grimness that marrs the usual lines of his face.

"Sasuke, what's it called when you use a jutsu to make an illusion?" he splutters, a desperate ring in his voice. " _What is it?!_ " The vehemence in his tone overrides the possibility to ignore his nonsense.

"Genjutsu." The young Uchiha is caught off-guard by the bizarre question, but he supposes that it's well within Naruto's range of random actions. "What are you on about?" Naruto gets worked up about anything and everything, but Sasuke has never seen him like this.

" **That thing!** Well, I don't know what they're doing, but…" The hyperactive knucklehead is remaining eerily still, though there are tremors running through his body. His eyes are glued to the closed door. "When I went there, Hinata was **naked** and had a lot of stuff drawn on her. Lots of it on the floor too. Shisui was next to her! And your brother was with Sakura-chan and Ino!" he blabbers, so fast that Sasuke is hard-pressed to catch half the words.

"What?" he splutters. It's a little known fact that a vast majority of Uchiha feel distaste for subduing fūinjutsu - their Sharingan is able to replicate the same effect with less hassle. Shisui is the only one who specialises in it.

Sasuke knows that the elder Uchiha only ever uses it in extremely dangerous cases, and very rarely has to resort to using it on his patients. It only ever happens when the special cases (those that can't just be put down with a simple illusion) go crazy with screaming…

Naruto's explanation is only worrying him more. His brother will be fine, right? Itachi is a prodigy and a genius, he has to know what he's doing, but… Sasuke just can't think rationally about it. _He has to know right now._

"I have no idea!" Naruto retorts, frantically trying to free himself. Stunned by shock and dread, Sasuke lets him go, though the Uzumaki doesn't charge at the door this time. He merely drags himself near it, eyes staring up in endless dejection. "When I went there, Shisui got distracted, and it was like… I dunno, like a nightmare. The room was so different in an instant. Like a genjutsu, but in the room, not just in my head."

The shiver that wracks Naruto's body doesn't go unnoticed. What could be so upsetting, to shake him up this much? Sasuke has only ever seen this boy being very loud and hyper, or (very rarely) distancing himself and looking impossibly sad. Never has Naruto been afraid of anything.

The blond boy seems spaced out, rubbing his own belly as if it ached, but the gesture is detached and robotic. His whisper is barely audible, voice cracked. "I don't get it… Why did it feel like I was gonna die?"

* * *

A soundless scream reverberates in the mind of Sakura Haruno, but it is not her own. It belongs to Hinata. The pressure in the pinkette's consciousness retreats as if it had been burned, and when her eyes open, Itachi Uchiha is staring at her with the most expressive face she has ever seen on him.

Sakura cannot read the emotions flashing through his eyes ( _but she understands them too well: endless pain, unfathomable betrayal, abject horror_ ). Blood trickles down from Itachi's nose, yet he seems too stunned to react.

 _You can't save her_.

Itachi's eyes narrow ever so slightly, as if he too had heard the voice. Sakura jumps a little, startled out of her reverie and so tense that her body hurts. Something is horribly wrong, but she can't tell what.

The room around them comes back into focus, and Itachi finally seems to collect his bearings. He isn't holding her against the makeshift bed anymore: Sakura has stopped her frantic, delirious struggles.

Besides, he would hardly have an easy time bringing himself to restrain her again.

"So that's why…" the Uchiha whispers, more to himself than her. Itachi's mind seems to recalibrate and kickstart the usual thought processes again. Sakura blinks a few times, trying to make sense of the face above hers. These red eyes are very pretty, almost shining in the darkness of the room.

Not three seconds have passed, and another blurry Uchiha appears in the periphery of Sakura's vision, kneeling next to Itachi's hunched form. "Are you alright?" the newcomer inquires, speaking to his junior. "You shouldn't overtax yourself. This is sensitive work."

Itachi shakes his head, slow yet vehement. The perfectly trained mask slides over his face in an instant, as if his lapse of concentration had never been there to begin with.

"I'm fine." He seems to hesitate for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, though Sakura isn't sure how she is able to see that.

...How did she get here to begin with?

"And how are you?" Sakura needs a second or two to register that Shisui is talking to her. He slides a hand behind her back and props her up against an impossibly comfortable pillow, all motions performed with extreme gentleness. Sakura takes the glass of water that he offers, though she barely notices doing so. Her mind feels positively fluffy.

Her eyes finally start to register the details of the room… and the two cute boys next to her. Granted, they're double and triple her age (respectively), but she still blushes and stammers an unintelligible response.

"I suppose that means you're okay. Do you know how you got here?"

Sakura's brows scrunch up in concentration, but… the last thing she can remember is Hinata's oddly morphed voice, as if she had been hearing it through a cascade of water. Her friend sounded very distressed, though her words weren't intelligible. She shakes her head slowly, because if she tries to say anything, she's just going to embarrass herself further. Ino said that's not ladylike at all.

Something clicks in her foggy mind.

"Ino! Where's Ino?" Sakura explodes, scrambling to get up. "Hina-chan! Where are they?" Shisui reacts fast as lightning, pushing her down without aggression, but with a certain amount of force.

"They're alright. Please, don't strain yourself, you've been through quite the ordeal," he instructs. As soon as the words reach her ears, Sakura lets herself relax. They're alright. Whatever happened, her friends are fine. She can't imagine doubting Shisui's words (she misses the lazy spin in his Sharingan eyes). "We were on patrol and heard strange noises in the Hyūga compound. It was just a nightmare, Haruno-san."

His expression betrays nothing of the truth, even after Sakura closes her eyes, overcome by sudden tiredness. Itachi is aware that it wasn't exactly a lie, just a convenient modification of reality.

He and Shisui were indeed near the compound when they heard the screaming of not one, but three girls. And no one was harmed - despite the grotesque scene they found upon arrival, no enemy was anywhere to be seen. It truly was just a nightmare.

However, Hinata Hyūga's body is still heavily sedated with fūinjutsu bindings, in a room right next to this one. Her eyes are still fully open, staring blankly at the ceiling and surrounded by veins loaded with chakra, pulsating gently with her heartbeat.

The genjutsu is still active, though Shisui is subduing it with an invasive Sharingan skill and his seals. Like a beacon, Hinata's Byakugan broadcasts vivid memories of the night in which the Hyūga clan was wiped out. It's almost too much for a non-Hyūga person to process, and the Sharingan is heavily strained in its presence. If not for Shisui's skill, everyone in a twenty meter radius would be spasming on the floor alongside Hinata.

A technique like this isn't common - only the tales of ancient feuds between the Uchiha and Hyūga speak of anything like it. The illusion is something instinctive, triggered by a violent emotional response to traumatic experiences.

Ino Yamanaka is stable, if exhausted. Her clan's blood helped to soften the brutal hammering of the genjutsu, and she is the safest of the three girls.

The same cannot be said for the pinkette girl that Itachi was taking care of, not thirty seconds ago. Her mind has a bizarre structure, a duplication where there shouldn't be one, but that was not all.

He explored her memories, thoughts and emotions in search of the source of her stress, the cause for the anomaly in her psyche. He doubted it was a kekkei genkai, but he never thought he would find something like this. The scenes are distorted, but the echo of Hinata's screams still rings in his ears.

Except… they weren't in the right pitch. Even though it somehow felt like the cries belonged to the Hyūga, the voice was definitely Sakura's. A projection of the pinkette's own unfathomable horrors, placed in the image of her friend. And all of that is trapped in a mirror of Sakura's psyche, hidden away from everyone. Even the girl herself.

Sakura Haruno does not remember, because every memory is locked away very tightly, but he now understands why she seems to defend Hinata so fiercely.

It's much more than it seems: Sakura has lived through something so horrifying, that her mind simply could not cope. And now she keeps seeing the signs elsewhere, in another innocent girl who isn't strong enough to defend herself. Just like Sakura once was.

Itachi saw the pinkette lose her mind when Hinata was hurt, back in that alley. He has watched how her body language shifts almost unnoticeably anytime the Hyūga girl is attacked, gaining the strength to defend her despite the meekness in Sakura's own character.

Sakura is trying to protect Hinata from something that does not exist, at all cost. She is trying to save a phantom of herself, and possibly prevent someone else from suffering the same fate. Despite the projection, it is obvious that the pinkette cares greatly for her friend, and her moral code is a rightful one.

It doesn't make the revelation any better.

Itachi was forcefully shoved out of Sakura's mind, something he attributes to his own shock, as soon as he broke through the mirror that hid one half of her thoughts and emotions.

 _You can't save her_ , _her fate is sealed,_ said the voice of a monster, buried deep within the girl's mind. It was the last thing he heard before being kicked out. His hair still stands on end.

The voice... It belonged to neither Sakura nor Hinata, and the amount of cruelty and disdain it contained is something most people reserve only for their worst enemy.

"Who did the voice belong to?" Shisui inquires, away from prying eyes and eavesdropping ears. He has sat through Itachi's evaluation with nothing but a calm façade drawn on his features, the perfect image of a composed Uchiha.

Itachi is barely aware of the tension on his own shoulders, but the elder Uchiha can read his body language like a book. Older men would be shaken by the information he has stumbled upon, a truth hidden underneath an illusion. However, the younger Uchiha does not waver in his words when he speaks.

"Neji Hyūga."

* * *

 **A.N.:** Might be hard to believe, but I don't hate every character to death. Breaking things is just too much fun. Now, I don't wanna treat y'all like idiots - a writer should have faith in a reader's ability to understand. I'm doubting my own ability to transcribe the mindfuck that are Hinata and Sakura (I've tried to use external POVs for that). It should be confusing, but you should have an idea of what's going on. I hope.

 **FoI:**

 _[1] Sharingan/Byakugan:_ implied in narration, but I'd like to add that, unlike in canon, their abilities will be parallels at times and contrasting in others. These details will be scattered through the narration, but know this: either kekkei genkai, in the right eyes, should be able to fight evenly against the other (unlike in canon, where the Sharingan left the Byakugan in the dust). Consider this part of the story's AU premise. _[/1]_

 _[2] Kid-talk: _ kids don't seem to have very childish speech patterns in _Naruto_. It's kind of jarring, but I'll blame the maturity a shinobi needs, and maybe chakra, and bad writing. I'll tone it down some, but I'm still taking similar liberties. _[/2]_

 _[3] Shisui/Itachi:_ Shisui is a ninja psychologist because he enjoyed understanding people. His Sharingan's ability is absolute mental manipulation, so I imagine he would have a proficiency for techniques of the sort (and he is smart enough to apply them in a more peaceful environment). Shisui's occupation in the story, and the fact that Itachi is practically a little duckling for him, are also part of the story premise. _[/3]_

 _[4] Meaning of Sazanami:_ ripple(s). [/4]

 **Response to Guest:** I hope that the new information on the AU situation with Hinata, the Hyuuga and Sasuke is satisfying! I'll attempt to reveal things at a nice enough pace, and not at the end of the story. As for your question: I can't answer, since it would spoil the story, but it's a very good one.

 **Question for Guest and everyone else:** what theories do you have on how Neji would have managed to kill his clan, given the fact that he was already sealed?

Thank you for every little bit of kindness and appreciation that you've showed me, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)

Cheerps!


	4. ARC II (Natsu) - Komorebi

**A.N.:** I can't believe it's been over a goddamn year since the last time an update was posted. THIS CANNOT BE! Fret not, however, for _**this story has not been abandoned, and it will never be unless I physically can't update it further.**_

I spent an unholy amount of time in a diffrent country, 'kay? Tons of things going on, didn't get much time to write. But I've spent a decent amount of time worldbuilding this universe, planning the story and the characterisation, so that the final result is cohesive. I am extremely welcoming of criticism about the story in general, and pacing in particular, though.

The good news is that I can write again, and those of you who read the chapters of this arc as they're being posted should know: _**the rest of this arc's chapters will be posted quickly after this one.**_

My intention is to proof-read as much as possible before the chapters are up. I hope this chapter will make up for the long wait, as it's the beginning of a more intense development for the story.

Big thanks to all of the reviews you guys have left me overtime (especially the guests, since I can't thank you guys directly!)

And I want to thank a special, not very little person who went over the raw text of this chapter with me and helped me make sure it was ready to go :)

Enjoy your read, I hope!

* * *

 **.| ARC II |** Natsu **| CHAPTER 4 |** Komorebi **|.**

* * *

The air undulates under the unforgiving heat of the early-summer sun. The dome of the sky is unmarred by a single cloud, and nothing stirs the unpleasant asphyxia that permeates the atmosphere. Despite the brutality of the continental weather, there is solace in the shade of the Hyūga compound.

Sakura throws aside her weathered rag without looking. A splash of water reaches her ears and body a moment later; a frown blooms on her features, but she is too exhausted to bother with movement. She pushes the water bucket aside, muttering nonsense in her annoyance.

Beside her, Ino groans, but doesn't move.

Hinata arrives only a few minutes later, carrying a tray in her soft hands. The pinkette and her blonde friend waste no time downing the cold drinks; they sigh in relief, feeling life return to them.

"You shouldn't drink so fast, it will upset your stomach," Hinata chides, though her voice is as gentle as ever. Ino waves a hand in her face, both to dismiss her concern and tell her to sit with them.

Next to the sprawled, undignified figures of her friends, Hinata's perfect position looks very out of place. She takes a look at the thoroughly-scrubbed wooden floorboards, and once more the girl marvels in the dedication of the two downed girls beside her. A powerful emotion overcomes her tranquility.

"T-thank you…"

The blood under Sakura's fingernails doesn't escape her eyes, despite the smile that the pinkette gifts her with. Some of it isn't even hers. Ino grabs Hinata a moment after she decides to comment on it, dragging the Hyūga into their dogpile.

"'S fine," the Yamanaka mumbles, half asleep. Sometimes, Hinata is sure that her friend can really read minds.

* * *

Hinata rouses just as the sun starts to set down, blinking wearily and feeling oddly sore. She can't feel her arm - Sakura has been using it as a pillow. And drooling on it. Hinata decides that she will allow this, simply because she can't bring herself to wake the pinkette up. It would be rude, wouldn't it?

Ino is oddly absent from their dogpile, but there is a blanket over the two of them that certainly wasn't there before. The Hyūga smiles to herself. She debates whether it would be appropriate to get a little comfortable, even though it means she will have to scoot a bit closer to Sakura.

They have changed a lot in the past years, even though true growth spurts haven't found them yet. They all are reedy and thin, with very little muscle to show for their ninja training. Sakura is eleven, while Ino and Hinata are still ten years old.

Ino's hair grows longer by the day, scooped into a high ponytail, whereas Sakura has kept her own short. Really, the only real difference is that the Yamanaka now sports a thin, long scar across her belly, which she showcases with her small shirts and a lot of bragging.

That, and… well. Hinata's eyes trail towards Sakura's forearms, riddled with scars and bruises. Her fingers are rough from training, her nails short and broken. One of her fingers is slightly crooked. The Hyūga smiles - these are the hands of a hard-working _hero_.

She belatedly muses about how there is something oddly comforting about having a warm body next to her. It feels safe and familiar in a way that she can't quite recall. Did Mother cradle her at night? Did she sing lullabies and caress her when she woke from nightmares, like her friends do now...?

A splash of blood lands on Hinata, and she can almost _smell_ -

The scream that follows makes her jolt upward, and the girl braces herself tightly. Hinata closes her eyes, but that has never made the images go away. She can _see_. She reaches towards Sakura instinctively, only to find that her friend is already awake and holding out a hand for her.

Their fingers tangle with all the desperation in the world and none of the grace, and Sakura uses her grasp to pull Hinata into a hug. The Hyūga shivers, tense like a spring trap, following Sakura's voice as she counts breaths. An eternity passes, as they remain undisturbed.

"I'm so- so, sorry," Hinata whispers brokenly, not for the first time. She is dizzy and out of breath, and her eyes are slightly red, like the clouds in the sky. "I remembered…"

Sakura combs her hair with her small fingers. Without a word, she listens to Hinata's incoherent blabbering, which consists mostly of apologies, interspersed with breathless sobs.

Ino watches them from the door, donning an apron and a hair net (both of which are still too big for her). Sakura sees her, and gives a silent thumbs up: 'everything under control'. The Yamanaka responds with a nod, and then points towards her own stomach, raising a thumb with her other hand.

'Dinner is ready.'

* * *

"To us!" Sakura exclaims, lifting her cherry blossom tea and grinning like a madwoman. "For cleaning this empty-" Ino gives her a meaningful glare, taking advantage of Hinata's distraction to make sure she doesn't see it. Sakura clears her throat, pretending to cough. "For tidying up Hinata's place!" she finishes lamely. Ino gives her a thumbs up, and Hinata claps softly.

The three have spent most of their free time together - mostly, at Hinata's compound, since it's vacant and no one will boss them around. There are signs of life where there used to be none: old pillows and blankets piled up in the corner of the dining room; magazines and scrolls, some of which are homework; a dingy old TV that Sakura's father installed last summer, with Hinata's permission.

Most of the house remains abandoned, except for the dining-bedroom, one of the kitchens and the old, grand bathroom. Hinata tends to the gardens in her spare time, and Ino and Sakura have spent weeks trying to make the areas they use more presentable.

The poor Hyūga only allowed them to do so if she could do some household work elsewhere - unfortunately, she isn't quite ready yet for facing the stains and dust on the floor and walls.

"To us! The prettiest and smartest kunoichi to ever step into the Academy!" echoes Ino, smiling so much that her eyes are almost closed. She is not unaware of the awkward silence that came after Sakura's initial faux pas, and so, her mind sets to work. "I'm still gonna beat you two in tomorrow's exam, though!" She sticks out her tongue, and waits...

"What!? No!" exclaims Sakura, once the words register. " _I'm_ gonna beat you! I'm the best at arithmetics."

"That's only because Hinata gets dizzy."

Ino smiles devilishly. Sakura is about to retort something very analytical and _very_ incensed, that proves that she is right, when Hinata mutters her way into the conversation.

"I think she is still better…"

Instantly, Sakura shuts her mouth and blushes fiercely.

What ensues is Sakura backpedalling at amazing speeds, while Hinata mumbles one thing or another. They sink into what Ino calls "praise cycle", trying to outdo each other in reassurances and mumbled compliments.

Any lingering sense of awkwardness turns into… well, more awkwardness. But _this_ is far more entertaining. Ah, what would they do without Ino? The Yamanaka lets herself sink into her pillow, mentally patting her own genius in the back.

* * *

Hinata excuses herself from the exam early. Iruka nods to her with a beaming smile, his gaze trailing after her until she leaves the room. Sakura's eyes follow a similar motion, even as her pen scribbles down the answers for the test.

 _It doesn't mean anything that she finished first_ , or so she tells herself. Her movements hasten, her handwriting becoming a little more undecipherable as her hand blurs. She half-heartedly considers learning to write with both hands at once - after all, an ambidextrous ninja is better.

A dented line on the paper ends when the graphite of her pen snaps in half. She tosses it into the pile, her eyebrows twitching as she hears Ino snicker. Sakura grabs another pen, cracking the wood under her fingers.

Two minutes later, sweating and panting, Sakura shoots to her feet and nearly knocks her chair to the ground, causing it to drag noisily. Some students jump in their seats, eyes settled on her figure. The pinkette raises two proud fists toward the sky, eyes gleaming with determination. Most of her classmates ignore her.

Iruka groans, muttering something along the lines of 'it's the third time this week'.

Almost a whole three seconds after getting up, Sakura's thoughts catch up with her body. She blushes fiercely, bending forward and muttering apologies towards nobody in particular. She looks very interested in her own feet as she hands the exam in.

Sakura waves at Ino, sticking out her tongue when she thinks Iruka can't see, and promptly hops away through the Academy's hallways.

Today is the day!

Even though the weather has fallen into intermittently cloudy, and the air still smells wet from a fierce summer storm, she can only smile up at the sky. The colder atmosphere will help a little bit with not turning into a sweaty mess.

She darts across the playground, past the running field, and into the cover of the trees. She only takes a cursory glance behind her, just to make sure no one sees. Still grinning, Sakura ventures deeper into the forest, jumping over roots and pushing branches away with practised expertise.

The harsh sounds of strained kicks and punches reach her ears after only a short walk. Sakura stops and listens intently, trying to catch a different kind of sound.

"Fantastic legwork, Hinata-san!"

 _Yes!_ Her heart almost skips a beat. Sakura's expression hardens, a frown overcoming her features as she crouches low and moves a little closer to the shade of a particularly wide tree.

Sakura slows down her breathing, making it smooth and almost unnoticeable. It helps her chakra signature ebb - more manageable, harder to detect. She matches her movements to the rhythm of her diaphragm, slowing down and slipping into fluid motions. As best as she can, at least, because every now and then she gets half-stuck on small branches. Graceful, she is not.

The girl hopes that the sounds of sparring have covered up for her stumbling.

She looks down at her hands (it helps her feel reassured that she is doing the right thing), blitzing through hand seals as fast as possible. Seconds later, she feels a wave emerge from her belly, coating her body with a breeze, flowing almost like water. It does not rustle the leaves or her clothes.

It's a chakra cloak, a genjutsu. If someone looked at her, their sight would be urged to 'slip' around her silhouette. Only a true master would make it work in plain sight, but among the swaying trees, it's a great help. The catch is that her breathing needs to be maintained perfectly, her hands stuck on the handsigns. Maybe one day, she will master this - for now, she is forced to move slowly, carefully, as she sneaks closer to the source of the sparring sounds.

Sakura circles around them, choosing the direction they'll be less likely to look at. She has planned this for a month, it _has_ to work!

Underneath her, a branch cracks as a weight falls upon it. Sweat rolls down her forehead, her chakra reserves sapped significantly and her concentration pushed to its limits. What if she messed up, crap-

"Sakura-san, I can hear you!"

A savage grin lights up her features.

Rock Lee rushes toward the sound, expecting to catch her sneaking around Hinata and himself. He lands five meters below her, squinting to spot her through the genjutsu.

He's not looking _up._

Sakura lets go of her jutsu, of the chakra that keeps her glued to the branch of the big tree, and falls freely toward her target. Lee, somehow, picks this moment to look up. His face shows the horror of a dawning realisation. It's too late.

She barrels into him like a loose cannonball, limbs flailing in the air and a triumphant expression plastered over her face.

Sakura will never admit that she didn't plan further than this. She certainly didn't expect landing on him to be so _painful_. All that matters is that she knocked him off his feet - a feat only Hinata _almost_ accomplished, once.

Lee manages to catch her before she lands face-first, but her knee still crashes against his shoulder harshly. Sitting on the ground, with leaves raining down around them, he holds Sakura by the armpits, as if she were a particularly unruly kitten.

He looks at her intently for a moment, and she is almost too dazed to focus on his face. She hasn't seen him in almost two months - they were starting to worry something had happened to him. But he looks just the same as always.

She beams with pride in random directions, blinking toward a particularly pretty leaf. For the first time, she has defeated him. Surely that warrants a special comment on her marks?

"...Ow. Your knee has grown to be very sharp."

* * *

Rock Lee is energetic, louder than socially acceptable, and only describable as weird. He is also twenty years old, but he insists on being very youthful for his age. Sakura genuinely squeaked in shock and fear the first time she saw him. She didn't know there were people with eyebrows thicker than her arms. At least, his haircut is a little bit like Hinata's, which makes his appearance redeemable.

"It's been so long! Where have you been!?"

Mimicking Ino's crossed arms and tapping foot, Sakura looks up at him with the fiercest glare she can muster. She is almost sure that he's just barely containing his laughter.

"That is a most energetic pose, I am impressed."

He ducks around her punch with as much grace as he avoids the question. Sakura manages to catch her balance just in time, a lesson learned by mouthful after mouthful of dirt. Her eyes catch Hinata's concerned gaze, and she blushes, embarrassed.

The Hyūga girl takes a step toward her, raising a tentative arm toward her hair. Sakura stays still, her anger forgotten (for now!). Hinata fusses over her friend quietly, pulling away leaves and twigs with nimble hands. Sakura can barely feel it, her friend is just _that_ good.

Hinata pulls back, her face flushed from sparring and her forehead slightly wet. They stare at each other for a moment, as if trying to push through underlying social awkwardness to say something.

Lee masterfully shatters the moment with a direct hit, patting the back of Sakura's dress to get rid of some dirt, sending her tumbling forward. The girl's indignant squeak is cut short by a well-timed comment.

"I was on patrol near Suna," Lee explains, smiling with all the innocence in the world. He produces an intricate cluster of laminated, sandy crystals (he doesn't even have pockets!) and tosses it in Sakura's general direction. She catches it in a show of moderately accurate flailing. The girl looks at it with mild intrigue.

Slowly, a realisation creeps up on her.

"You brought a rock."

Lee emphatically shakes a finger, eyes shining with inner fire.

"I brought a desert rose! It is a _crystal_ ," he retorts passionately. "An everlasting show of blooming beauty, no matter the season, or the weather!"

Sakura buries her head in her free hand. She will admit that the crystal looks pretty, glinting a little even despite the shade. Oh, well, Ino will 'deal' with this later.

Lee's smile does not falter despite the lukewarm reception (even Hinata seems to be at a loss of words. It's different than her usual silences, Sakura thinks). He nods energetically.

"But pardon me, fair ladies," he bows in an exaggerated apology. "What have the months we spent apart brought upon you? I assume Ino-san isn't going to join us today?"

Hinata exchanges an unsure look with Sakura, to which the latter nods, smiling with as much reassurance as possible.

"She has… homework to do. At the library. She will join us later," replies Hinata, fiddling.

Sakura whoops in her head. No stumbling over her words at all, even though she is a little out of breath! Hinata deserves a cookie later.

"I broke a record in an exam," Sakura announces. "And Hinata got the best taijutsu scores in the last one! And we can all climb trees now, Ino-pig was the last to get it right." Lee is a good listener, nodding along at the right points.

"That is wonderful! I knew you would be able to learn the tree-walking technique, but I worried the lack of supervision might hamper your growth. I propose we discuss the details of your endeavors later, perhaps over a cup of tea? We should not waste time that could be used to evaluate your practical skills!"

* * *

"You brought a _rock_ ," Ino sputters indignantly. "You disappear without warning for _three months_ , near a place with the fanciest bath salts in the world, and some of the best poisonous plants, and you bring a rock."

"A c-crystal formation," Hinata interjects, sensing that the technicalities will soon be lost. There can be no proper discussion without true facts as basis. Her theory is that, with proper information, debate is less likely to escalate into aggressive arguments. She nervously munches on a cookie with small bites, trying to savor every bit for as long as possible.

"Does this look like you can plant it on a garden?" Ino continues, waving the offending crystal in front of Lee's nose. He sips at his tea, sighing in relief, a towel slung around his neck. He doesn't even blink, stretching his legs over the grass of the Hyūga compound's courtyard.

Hinata raises a hesitant finger, and Ino has to contain herself from snapping at her. "That's not the point!" she continues heatedly. The desert rose glints innocently under the dying sunlight, unassuming to the racket it has caused.

Sakura pats Hinata's back encouragingly, gifting her a soft smile. Ino gets in her moods easily, it's not really Hinata's fault. She gets a shaky nod for her efforts.

"It's always the same! Ask you for a bonsai when you get sent north, and you come back with a freaking scam of a light bulb. Ask for magnum flowers from near Whirlpool, and you come back and splash us with saltwater for 'good luck', instead of saying hi like normal people do," she rants, blowing her cheeks like a particularly offended pufferfish. "You thought that _tomatoes_ count as flowers!" she gestures in the air, seemingly having lost faith in the existence of higher beings after this event.

Lee tips his cup toward Hinata, congratulating her on green tea well made, even as Ino's hands fly centimeters away from his face. The Hyūga girl lowers her head and blushes a little, hands curling in her lap.

Sakura passes a page on the gigantic tome that rests on her legs, bigger than her torso. Her eyes scan the pages as she puts her concentration to test.

"What am I supposed to do with this? Eat it?" Ino continues, red in the face.

Lee nods, the perfect image of innocence. "Indeed. Its beauty shall become yours, and last far longer than any flower could. It's crystal candy." He puts the tea aside as a stunned silence ensues. Lee reaches forward, hugging her and patting her back enthusiastically. "I missed you too."

Ino will later swear that she only cried a little.

* * *

The dining room is warm, echoing with animated voices and filled with the smells of a hearty meal.

"-and I got this one while saving a merchant caravan from some bandits."

Lee rolls up his right sleeve, revealing a thin, perfectly straight gash that runs over one of his main arteries. Sakura sucks in a breath - that must have been a close call.

"Woah," whispers Ino, in slight awe, lips sticky with candy. She licks them before continuing. "I hope I don't get scars like that, I couldn't wear by best shirt without tons of makeup."

"Scars are nothing to be ashamed of, even if you are a kunoichi. It's a sign that you're willing to stand between danger and what matters to you."

Sakura lifts her eyes from her book, paying attention to Lee in earnest. He says a lot of nonsensical stuff, and he wakes up at ungodly hours, and he has a mean right hook - but he is smarter than most would give him credit for. In the right ways, at least.

He returns her gaze, taking one of her hands in his and examining the healing cuts. Sakura feels the need to turn her eyes away from the scrutiny, but she doesn't pull away.

"Some of them show the hard work you put into your ninja way, a reflection of who you are," Lee continues, lost in thought. "And each one of them represents a step forward!"

Sakura smiles tentatively. He seems to awaken from his trance, patting her knuckles with fervent encouragement. The spell breaks, and he clears his throat, eyes darting around the room.

"I will be walking dogs for a few missions within the week," Lee says. "Three missions at once, a new challenge! I have chosen missions that start after your school time, so that you may be able to join me in my training."

Hinata's face lights up with contained excitement. For months, Lee has been training them only during school breaks (how does he know when they are outside, anyway? Their exams are always a surprise to the students). He deemed missions too 'risky', until he could be sure that their abilities were certified.

He has tested their combat skills in full today, after months of unexpected absence. They didn't hold up much better than the first time, but Ino got very close to locking him in a mind-transfer, and Sakura almost got a second drop on him.

Hinata actually scored a clean hit that visibly affected him - granted, this was by force of the Gentle Fist _tickling_ his tenketsu through a glancing blow, but this marks the first clean, direct hit that any of them has gotten on him.

It's the first time he has offered to let them partake in his missions. The girls exchange exhilarated gazes. Killing some of their beauty sleep, eating a little more and repeating Lee's exercises ad-nauseum paid off, after all. They noticed it in the physical tests at the Academy, but this is the real achievement right here.

"I am very proud of you all."

* * *

Sakura holds the ancient book on her legs, idly drinking her fruit juice through a straw. A soft breeze rustles the hedges that Hinata is working on, straw hat and bright dress waving in the wind.

Hinata's hands shake as she lifts a rusty watering can, pouring water over the plants with mathematical precision. Sakura takes a moment to watch her, deciding that the look suits her. One day, she'll be strong enough to look totally cool doing this.

Ino is somewhere inside the house, whining to herself about dust and icky bugs that have piled up in the room she is cleaning. She shrieks from time to time, no doubt fighting to survive close combat with the foul beasts. Sakura shudders. She can relate to the horror.

Her attention returns to the book, scanning page after page. She shifts a little to allow her numb feet to receive proper blood flow. Long after the start of her search (and the last of her juice, most unfortunately), she finds what she is looking for.

Information about ninja clans is scarce and well-guarded, but most clans are partially civilian. Long ago, the Hyūga were in possession of two ancient states, turned into merchant cities. They are gone now, as war with the Uchiha wore down their population and wealth to a glimmer of its former self, but their traditions remain.

And they, among other civilian customs and festivities from the founding clans of Konoha, are gathered in this book. It wasn't easy to put up with Ino's rambling about how hard it was to steal something so big from the library.

"The Sun Festival…" she whispers to herself, squinting her eyes to decipher the smudged ink. Sakura does a little victory dance in her mind, as until now, she was not certain she could find this.

Hinata mentioned it offhandedly a couple years ago: the grandest of Hyūga celebrations, taking part three days after the end of Tanabata. Hinata couldn't give many details, too young to remember much more than the name and the happiness she associated with it. A moment of joy and celebration in her clan, to bring together its members.

Given the fiasco that her last birthday was, Hinata deserves something to make up for it. She smiles so little, Sakura thinks. There is so much weighing her down, things that not even her best friends understand too well. She only talks about her clan when she wakes up from a nightmare.

Maybe, with a little bit of help, that could change? Would Hinata think it insulting, if Sakura arranged a celebration, like the one the Hyūga remembers so fondly?

Sakura coughs to clear her dry throat, absentmindedly reaching out for her drink. The glass is full again. She blinks down at it, and then looks around. Hinata's face looks a few shades of red darker, as she carefully tries to shield herself from sight.

* * *

Ino watches as the sky is tinted with fading orange tones. She is bored out of her mind; the Yamanaka passes time by going over what she knows about the people around her, trying to understand it all better.

She takes purely artistic interest in Sasuke, who sulks in a corner of the lobby to Shisui's office. He pretends she doesn't exist. It's a very loving relationship. On the row of benches opposite to them, Naruto sits and curses from time to time, wiggling to try and free himself from the chains wrapped around him.

Shisui exits through the main door, Hinata in tow. Ino gets up and checks her over, as if expecting to find one or two missing limbs. The Hyūga has a blank expression, a little more dazed than usual. The sessions she undergoes are very taxing on the mind.

"Sakura will be out soon," Shisui announces. He nods towards Naruto and releases him of his bonds with a snap of his fingers. The Uzumaki follows him with a pout, stomping his way in.

The door closes after them, its sound echoing in the silent waiting room. Ino and Hinata walk back toward their preferred seats, away from Sasuke.

"How are you feeling?" Ino asks softly, waving a finger in front of Hinata's face. The girl follows the movement with a six second delay.

"...Fine."

 _Stubborn._ Ino sighs, shaking her head and considering a tirade about how it's _really_ fine for Hinata to admit that she probably can't make two steps straight. Damn Hyūga pride. It's gonna be obvious when they walk outside, she knows. Maybe she should just let Hinata trip and then she'll see how dumb it is to keep to herself like that.

Hinata raises her gaze toward her, blinking with reddened eyes. It's a haunting sight. A shadow prowls in her eyes; a mysterious echo that draws Ino in, beckoning her to push deeper- no. She shakes her head to break the spell.

Her friend, in the meantime, fiddles on her lap and looks around in a telling manner.

"I w-would… enjoy it i-if we could… uh, have some ice-cream?" Hinata smiles, really trying not to look proud of herself. Ino smirks.

"Of course! Tab's on me."

Hinata curls up like a startled cat, muttering protests and practically begging for an alternative, but the trap has closed deep around her. Ino slings an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, with a shark-like grin.

"So, what would you like, my dear Hina-chan?"

* * *

"Itachi-kun?" A beat, a nod; trembling hands playing with the hem of her pants. "Do you know- Did you know Neji Hyūga? Personally?" Sakura almost expects the Uchiha to react openly to her words, but he only responds with a low, noncommittal hum.

She dares to look at him in the eyes, even though it's not very authoritative from her position on the mattress. The inked brush tickles her belly as it draws methodical lines, but she tries to hide the discomfort.

Itachi stops only for a moment to return her gaze, contemplative. Sakura can almost see the gears turning in his head, almost too fast for her to follow. The brush dips in ink once again, and she has to stifle a giggle. It tickles.

"I did," he finally admits, tone perfectly flat and expression devoid of emotion. _I thought I did._ "We were Academy peers." Sakura's eyes widen considerably, and her mouth hangs open in surprise and disbelief.

"How?" she insists, wasting no time. "I thought he was three years older than you. You couldn't have been in the same class!" Sakura awaits his answer expectantly, hesitation forgotten in the pursuit of knowledge.

If he is surprised at her statement, Itachi doesn't show it. He stops a moment to examine his sealwork - black lines pool over Sakura's belly, tracing kanji and sinuous lines towards her face. They converge in the middle of her forehead, around a detailed circle of symbols. The final part of the inkwork.

Itachi belatedly realises that he forgot to put down some of the necessary lines. He blinks. Sakura is smart enough to notice it, too, and does a victory dance in her head. The Uchiha only gets distracted enough when she manages to catch him off-guard (which is nearly impossible).

And he knows about all of this, too, judging by the way he looks at her. She knows he knows. They stare at each other for a period of time only achievable by those unfamiliar with social cues.

Sakura patiently awaits her prize, but the answers she seeks don't come to her until the seals are finished. Fair enough.

"I cannot disclose too much information regarding that, Sakura," Itachi drones.

She nods - he can only tell her things that, although hard to find, are publically available. Sakura is very aware that, as one of Konoha's best shinobi, there are a lot of things that Itachi could never tell anyone.

He puts the brush aside with deliberate, slow movements. She watches him intently, no doubt ready to soak up the information adeptly. Sakura wonders if Itachi is messing with her by taking an absurd amount of time to respond. It's only funny when he does that to Sasuke.

"At that point in Konoha's history, if an aspiring shinobi showed enough potential, and had the necessary skills, they had the option to graduate without going through the Academy. The Yondaime Hokage was in the process of creating a law to invalidate the system when the Kyūbi attacked. His successor finished his work; thus, any shinobi who had undergone this treatment, and were under the age of fifteen, were re-enrolled into the Academy."

Sakura's eyes widen - it's always difficult to find information about Konoha's more obscure procedures, but this is something she hadn't heard about before.

No one survived Neji's graduation, though… She looked at the records, in search for someone who might have known him. Itachi wasn't there.

No. Itachi didn't say they met in class. She knows this one: long explanations with a needle of an actual answer, padded with hay. He can't fully disclose many of the things he knows. He can't say it outright… because it must pertain to his own time as a shinobi.

Her mouth hangs agape as she comes to the most likely conclusion.

 _They were teammates!_

Itachi observes her, impassive. He must enjoy these little games, she thinks. Sometimes it seems he is eager to answer - as if… he wanted to tell someone about it. His expression and general body language remain almost entirely unreadable, however. Perhaps the goal is to facilitate their sessions, by giving her a way to get comfortable around him.

He is one of the quietest people she knows, and he is almost more polite than Hinata is. Maybe he is just answering her questions out of… genuine personal interest? She really tries not to blush, shaking her head a little.

At last, Sakura nods, and takes a peek at the sealwork. It's now complete. With a pout, she closes her eyes and makes an effort to relax her body, concentrating on her breath. She lets go of lingering thoughts. Half a minute passes in absolute, still silence.

"I'm ready."

* * *

Sunset falls upon the world. Ino raps her foot against the wall, looking out of the open lobby. People walk by the entrance, chattering amongst themselves excitedly. Naruto and Sasuke left long ago, and she is now alone in the waiting room. Hinata insisted on leaving, too, despite Ino telling her how bad of an idea that was.

There is a sound at her back, and the door opens once more, revealing a very familiar pink-haired person.

Sakura makes her way toward her, staring at nothing in particular and stumbling every few steps. She doesn't say anything, stopping in front of Ino and smiling up at her. Her eyes are a little dazed. Doesn't look too good.

"Did you ask the million-ryō question?" Ino asks.

"What?"

"About Neji."

Sakura blinks, and stares blankly.

Ino points a finger at Sakura very dynamically, making the girl jump in place.

"You got duped again, Forehead!" the Yamanaka declares dramatically. "Itachi fudged up your memory!" She looks at the door again, but no sounds come from within.

Ino flicks a piece of paper towards Sakura. She catches it after a few undignified flails, and her brow creases as she identifies the scribbles written on it.

' _Wake up_.'

Sakura loses consciousness, but Ino catches her before she touches the ground. She lowers her friend down onto one of the seats, arms shaking. Hinata still has about half an hour to reunite with them, and she knows that Sakura won't be awake for at least ten minutes. Plenty of time to rest and then go get that ice-cream.

Thus, Ino ponders.

Ever since the genjutsu incident at the Hyūga compound, it's always like this: Sakura and Hinata walk into the psychologist's office, every two weeks. Sakura comes out first, with memories that Ino recently identified as inaccurate.

Like a good lie, they seem very mundane. The pinkette remembers most of the events, but none of the key points. A bit like the fuzzy memories of a long, sleepless night.

Ino's detective work on these discrepancies started a month ago, although she has suspected for over a year that something is amiss regarding this whole Hyūga fiasco.

So far, the Yamanaka has established some key points: every time Sakura comes out of a session with Itachi, her mind seems to actively avoid connections towards 'Neji Hyūga'. It takes a few days for it to wear off, and the pinkette doesn't seem to notice anything strange at all.

She sleeps better, and seems more relaxed. After a few days, the pinkette's recurring nightmares return.

Secondly, Sakura has trouble focusing for at least an hour afterward. Ino tested it: she consistently walks into poles, people and even whole houses, as if she was completely spaced out. She can't recall details of anything that happens during this time. This indicates that Itachi is messing with deeply rooted memories.

Finally, Ino decided to get Sakura to conversate with Itachi: the more content to cut from her awareness, the harder it will be to remove all traces of it. Distract him, ask him questions, get him to talk. Tickle the bastard mid-jutsu if needed be. Nothing works. The Sharingan has bested her again and again.

She managed to subvert some of the after-effects of these sessions, by hypnotising Sakura and giving her the keywords on the paper. It knocks her out, likely from memory shock, but it prevents her from becoming completely airheaded. It's a very small thing, but it's a victory nonetheless.

The Yamanaka is nonetheless determined to succeed. She isn't old enough to know how to mind-walk as well as an adult ninja could, but she has other ways to gather information. And she has a good nose for spicy drama, meaning that she can spot secrets and their troubles from a mile away.

Ino is the only one who remembers what happened in the Hyūga compound, four years ago. No one will allude to the event - she is pretty sure that her father is just very skilled at becoming busy right before she asks. Sakura doesn't even question why she had to start going to Shisui's office after that night, whereas Hinata already had regular appointments, ever since the massacre.

There is only one conclusion to be drawn from this.

Itachi has a crush on Sakura. Maybe she used to have a crush on Neji, and he's trying to spare her the heartbreak. It's the only reasonable thing.

Either that, or he is part of a conspiracy to keep her memories of Neji Hyūga suppressed for… another reason.

Ino vows for the first one, a romantic at heart. After all, why would anyone want to make Sakura forget about someone that she has never met?

* * *

 **Facts of Interest (FoI):**

 _[1] Rock Lee:_ he is roughly as old as Neji is. They are both three years older than Itachi, and eleven years older than Naruto's peers. He is also certifiably insane, which I hope you will enjoy. For those of you worrying I'll include 'every character under the sun': don't worry! He's there for a very good reason. _[/1]_

 _[2] Neji's age:_ He was around fourteen when he was re-enrolled in the Academy, into the last year of a class composed of (mostly) twelvies. This matches Sakura's estimation of the age of Hinata's bullies in Chapter 1, who have just graduated pretty late. In canon, there were "three tries" to pass the graduation. Naruto was on his last try at twelve-ish, but I imagine that he might have tried to pass too early. These bullies would have failed their first attempt (saving their lives), and finaklly succeeding to graduate two years later, around the time of Chapter 1. _[/2]_

 _[3] Hyūga Compound/Customs:_ I couldn't really find too much on the appearance of the compound, so I'm just going by its rough aspect from the original. I'm also _not_ a Japanese customs connoiseur (I research as much as possible before writing, but that's it). From what I understand, Naruto has a lot of 'american' influence, and it doesn't mirror Japanese stuff 100%, so I'm gonna take a few creative liberties there as well. _[/3]_

 _[4] Meaning of Komorebi: _ light filtering through tree leaves. _[/4]_

 ** _Question for y'all_** **:** what do you think of the characterisation, in contrast with canon?

When I think of developing characters for Kaiten, I think of how the ripples of change will have affected characters in a myriad of ways (from far-back things, like the Uchiha/Hyūga conflict, to the more personal Massacre).

Say, Sakura is a little more socially awkward, since she has picked up cues from Hinata, but she is also a lot more forward thanks to Ino's influence, and much more willing to step in to do what she feels is right. The idea is that the characters should be as accurate as possible to how the originals would have developed in this setting, but it's hard to gauge my success.


	5. ARC II (Natsu) - Kotori

**A.N.:** "Quickly updated" is a relative term. _Still kickin'_.

Some concerns were expressed in a review, regarding all these plot mysteries and whatnot - that they'll drag on for very long and have little pay-off. All I can say to this is that I dislike mysteries that drag on for the sake of it, and I don't plan on doing that for this story, even if some of the secrets will last for a while :) I hope you will appreciate how some of these mysteries are addressed in this chapter.

Despite the slow updates, you have _no clue_ how much time I spend thinking about this story! The changes to Byakugan/Sharingan in particular are something I can't wait to write about (and sometimes I regret that I set the story timeline so early, because I want as much as possible of the mechanics to shine!)

Thank you all for your wonderful support, especially those in anon reviews that I can't respond to in a very personal manner.

Cheerps!

* * *

 **.| ARC II |** Natsu **| CHAPTER 5 |** Kotori **|.**

* * *

Hinata realised long ago that her greatest motivation is fear.

She trips with her own feet, and tumbles onto the grass of the shoddy training ground. Away from prying eyes, Hinata runs again and again over all the obstacles between success and herself.

The youngest stars of the night shine upon her, quietly judging.

Even despite her inexperience, she knows that her form is shamefully poor.

For a Hyūga, she is not good. As a child, she could never follow the masterful battles that transpired between her clansmen. They were too fast, too complex in their layers of deceit, far too great for her mind to grasp.

Performed by her, the act of emulating such beauty is almost as bad as outright insulting the ancient art.

Strength escapes her grip as she lies down and stares at the dome of the sky, vision blurry and distorted with unreal colors. The very real possibility of failure rumbles in her heart, growing in strength like a storm. She closes her eyes, but the things she sees don't fade.

A shadow looms over her, with pink-red eyes. It waits, and watches, a reminder of everything she is and all the things she will never be. Though it is not tangible, its threat is real.

It terrifies her far more than failure ever could. Thus, she straightens up and attempts to imitate the next stance. Her arms shake, and her legs aren't straight enough. She botches it before even starting, and falls to the ground on her hands and knees a moment later.

Despite years of daily practice, it is never any easier. Truth be told, Hinata doesn't train because of a fantasy of potential to be great. It's not her thing.

Ino tried to motivate her by telling her she could kick bully ass, but she could never really do that. It is her place to suffer, and she is certain that she deserves their hatred…

The girl shakes her head, trying to think about happy things instead. She is not allowed to beat herself up like that. It would… displease her friends. Her heart hammers in her chest.

 _I will never fail you._

Besides, no one has beaten her up in years.

It stopped the day she went home very early, after some older bullies caught her while she went to the bathroom. Within the hour, Ino and Sakura had tracked her down (and were barging into the compound with a makeshift battering ram).

What ensued was revenge the likes of which Hinata has only seen bested once in her life.

No one dared approach her since, even if she still gets dirty looks. Some people tried to catch her when she was away from her friends, but Ino always _knew_ when to show up. And overtime, her shouts in search of the culprit were replaced by a terrifying glint in her eyes. It made Hinata's predators cower.

" _You're not gonna sit there and take it, you hear? I'm gonna whip you into shape!_ "

Ino is strong, stronger than people give her credit for, with bravery for two and the lungs of four Uzumaki hellions. She only ever shouts when it matters, but when she does...

Hinata gets up again, spurred by a new surge of determination. She attempts to even out her breathing, but the ability to catch her breath is gone. Seven seconds later, she falls again.

Her mind scrambles to focus on something better than the screams and blood. She covers her ears, but she still _sees_.

Sakura has stayed by her side. She isn't quite as vocal as Ino, but she is always there, between danger and Hinata. She reads out questions for her, even in exams, despite how competitive she is, and how it slows her down.

When Hinata gets wrapped up in a nightmare, Sakura is there, all soothing words and warm reassurance. She never complains about all the disgusting tears and snot.

She jumped in front of Hinata, before classmates stronger and older than herself, more times than the Hyūga can remember. She jumps into a fight with only a kamikaze plan at hand, if it will save someone else. Sakura has never told her that she is weak, never turned her away when she fell down and needed help. Even when Hinata didn't ask; even when she tried to hide it.

She remembers Sakura's hands, once immaculate, yet now filled with scars. Because Sakura… Sakura is weak, too.

Hinata remembers that, the first time Sakura defended her from bullies - the Haruno was afraid. The girl didn't jump into the fray with the intention of _winning_. She couldn't have won in a million years.

Her determined expression floats up in the eye of Hinata's mind, a much younger pinkette staring at her with fire in her eyes.

" _I need to train hard, so I will never be too weak to protect you._ "

Sakura is weak in many ways, but she is strong when and where it matters.

Hinata smiles, despite her brooding thoughts. She levels her breathing and, with a more even heartbeat, resumes her movement. Her body is sluggish, limbs trembling with strain beyond her comfort zone.

In comparison to her friends, Hinata's motivations are frail. There is no honor, no greatness to why she tries to be stronger.

It is only fear.

Around her, the shadows grow. She sees the ghosts of her clan turning their backs to her, damning her for failing them. The backs of her friends, walking away, where she can't reach them.

But above them all, the shadow of _that man_ rises.

Her steps falter, and she trips with her own feet and falls unceremoniously. Her bloody hands just barely catch her fall, aching when they come in contact with the field's grass. Hinata remains frozen for a long time, eyes unseeing the ground.

The scenes flash around her, and she hears muffled and distorted sounds, as if she was underwater. Her mind reels, flooded with memories, as the madness blooms and embraces her in a strangling grasp.

She trembles, terror surging through her and shutting the air away from her.

Yet, this time, it's easier to distance herself from the images. Their words are muffled, and she can't really focus on the scenes of horror that play before her sight.

She knows what Shisui does to her mind, every two weeks. It isn't merely counselling, or exercises and homework to be in control of her anxiety and flashbacks. He has been treating her for as long as she can remember.

He told her the day after she missed an Academy class for the first time. Some older kids, skipping class, had found her while she was en route.

Before the Academy, people might have looked at her with contempt, but she had never been physically assaulted. The thoughts had been creeping in her head, as far as she could remember: that no one liked her. And that day, the drop to spill the glass fell.

Hinata started to see horrific scenes that played all around her. One torture after another, people with eyes like hers were broken down and left to die. She could hear a voice, accusing and full of hatred, calling her name. A shadow that chased her through the streets as she blindly fled. The world blurred and bent, fake colors swamping her vision.

Hinata ran to the only person that didn't seem to dislike her.

The girl still remembers his reaction, utterly taken aback as she limped into his office after hours. She just asked why everyone hated her, what had she done wrong? Was she crazy?

She recalls terror, that perhaps he would be angry at her weakness, but still too lost and hurt to keep quiet. More than anything, the haunting sights around her were what scared her enough to ask for help. They told her she had done something wrong, and she didn't know how to fix it. She wasn't good enough.

He took care of the cuts and bruises, utterly silent, with the most distant expression Hinata has ever seen on him. Shisui put some sort of seal on her, rendering her blind, and the hallucinations stopped.

He hadn't looked at her with eyes of hatred, at least. She slept on the couch that night, reassured by his presence.

Shisui didn't answer until he got clearance from the Hokage, two days afterward. He came to pick her up from class, and took her to this very training ground, away from everyone. They sat on the grass as he explained, answering her unspoken questions for an hour straight.

He said that she is, to put it bluntly, mentally ill. Her young mind couldn't have coped with what happened to her, not yet. The Hokage determined that, to preserve her sanity, it would be best to seal the memories away until she was old enough to process them.

It failed spectacularly. Whatever Ne- whatever happened to her the night of the massacre, the event had been burned into her mind with techniques beyond even Shisui's skills. It had only taken an objectively small amount of stress for the memories to come rushing forth, past everything the Uchiha had tried to contain them.

They couldn't be extracted, or erased, without rendering her dead. That was the day Hinata learned of the great burden she carries. Her duty, her only true use in this world.

To live as a symbol for all the slaughtered Hyūga, their heiress. To suffer in life to atone for their sins. To remember them forever, so their atrocities will never be washed away.

Shisui helps her keep the memories inside, where they can't hurt anyone but her. Because they can: if she has a moment of weakness, they spill into the real world and turn into nightmares for all to see.

That man, her judge… He would not like that. Those burdens are for her alone to bear. No one should be hurt by sins that belong only to the Hyūga, and if he found out that she was sharing it with those around her, his wrath would be absolute.

And if she fails, if she isn't strong enough to carry the mark of her clan, he might come back and take away those she holds dear. Hinata is vaguely aware that she isn't supposed to have… friends. That no one should stand by her side and help her remain strong. Even if they aren't Hyūga, he might think that they deserve to be punished.

Hinata blinks away the replaying memories, pushing the thoughts of that night and Shisui away. She stares at the waving grass, and notices that her hands have closed around the strands with enough force to get cramped. One breath after the other, she stops her racing thoughts and centers them in a single point, like only a Hyūga can do.

Becoming strong will never make up for her sins.

She stands up, her legs almost giving out from underneath her. The world spins and blurs, a headache pounding in her skull, but she doesn't back down.

Hinata isn't strong because she is worth anything, but because she is afraid...

There is no salvation ahead of her, but maybe, if she fights and contains the twisted reality of the Hyūga within her… Maybe she can save someone else, someone better than she could ever be.

' _I will never let it come to pass, that you have to stand between that man and I._ '

* * *

Ino raises a delicate eyebrow, watching her friend drag herself toward the booth. Silent among the chattering customers is a young girl, staggering forward. Hinata's face is curtained by her disheveled hair, but whatever is visible of her expression reflects pain and concentration. She leans heavily against the wall of a nearby booth, tipping forward dangerously.

Faster than Ino can track with her eyes, Sakura disappears from her side and reappears next to Hinata. The Yamanaka blinks, then smiles. _Cheater_.

Sakura slips under Hinata's arm before the girl can protest her way out of it. She staggers a little under the weight, but carries on valiantly. Some customers look at them with mild concern, but no one offers help. Sakura grits her teeth and cusses them out under her breath for letting a lady carry such a burden alone.

Finally, the Hyūga heiress is unceremoniously deposited on the cushioned bench in front of Ino. She holds onto the table, utterly out of breath and muttering toward no one in particular. Hinata's face is red and her chest heaves erratically, fingers bloody and trembling. A thin crimson trail pours from her nose, over her lips, dripping onto the table.

Sakura slides into her seat after her, expression grim. She wipes Hinata's face with a tissue. Ino observes them intently, stealing bits of Sakura's ice-cream while she has the chance to.

The cramped shop has begun to fill with weary customers, who pay them no more than a stray glance. Ino slips away after she figures that these two are in for the long haul, going to the counter for more ice-cream.

She peeks into the booths as she passes, catching bits and pieces of the conversations. Most of them are boring; some provide juicy gossip. Ino reads lips and watches expressions in flashes, cataloguing each scene.

"I know you're listening, Yamanaka."

Ino freezes, goosebumps running down her arms. A cacophony of little, panicked voices raises in her head. Ino shuts it all up with the image of a fierce teacher, demanding a plan of action. She can't. She can't do anything.

"Nara…" Ino hisses.

The girl steps to the side, closer to a booth. She kneels down, checking on her sandals. A dark tendril parts from her shadow and runs underneath the wall, ever so infuriating.

A nonchalant drawl answers. "You're late. Again."

 _You're the one who needs to stop bothering me so often, you stalker!_ Ino swallows thickly, sweat running down her forehead. "...I'm sorry," she replies, closing her eyes. "Hinata-chan overdid her training again. She's late by an hour."

She knows that the silence that follows is perfectly timed to put her on edge, but she can't stop her breaths from accelerating. Ino is very glad that her two friends are extremely unaware of their surroundings when in close proximity to each other.

"You just blamed your friend for your misconduct. I wish I could say that's a new low."

Ino would wince if she could. Inside her head, multiple witty lines fight to be the next out of her mouth, but she holds them back with a massive effort of willpower. Even despite her fear, she is _pissed_.

"What do you want?" Venomous sweetness spills from her mouth, her fingers twitching despite the jutsu. There is no verbal answer to her query. It's a pointless question — she already knows. "Not _again!_ We have things to do tomorrow. I can't disappear just because you said so!" she continues protesting.

Her heart hammers within her ribcage, and she wishes her fists were capable of pounding _him_ that hard. Ino rolls her eyes, trying to calm herself down before he says anything else.

"You're gonna get fat if you keep skipping, you know?"

He didn't just go _there_. Ino redoubles her futile effort to struggle against the shadow tendrils, beyond rational response.

"You're _so_ dead, Nara."

And he metaphorically laughs in her face, and releases the jutsu. Ino loses her balance instantly, legs and arms now free to move. She ends up sprawled on the ground face first, still shaking a little in her indignation.

"If you can catch me, sure! I wouldn't have to deal with you anymore. Don't be late."

She knows that, if she storms into the booth, it will be empty. Or worse, an unsuspecting customer will be suddenly startled (and doing that is _not_ a good idea in a ninja village). With a dejected sigh, she punches the floor weakly and then stands up. Ino looks around, but no one has noticed a thing. She relaxes minutely, goosebumps dying down.

A plethora of eloquent curses runs through her mind, but by now the bastard is long gone. Making a scene will only end up with her in trouble, so she gets up as inconspicuously as possible, and resumes her Ice-cream Acquirement mission.

When she returns, Sakura and Hinata have settled into a conversation of hushed whispers. It's one-sided, though that doesn't deter the pinkette at all. A pile of bloody tissues keeps growing before them as Hinata's hands are thoroughly wiped.

Ino hands them their ice-cream, causing Sakura to blink with suspicion as she realises what has transpired beyond her attention. Hinata looks down at her lap and seems to debate whether rejecting it would be more rude than eating it.

"So!" Ino exclaims, making her two friends jump a little. She tucks a hair back into place as she gifts them the best nothing-happened-(really) smiles. "Tomorrow we start real mission training. I say we should go shopping first. Get some nice outfits, maybe a couple of gadgets..." she trails off, a dreamy look in her eyes.

Sakura rubs her forehead, as if she too was nursing a headache.

"Not again, please," she mutters, knowing the fight is lost, yet unable to give up without at least a struggle. "We won't even go into combat, we don't need anything!"

Ino raises her finger and wags it in the air. "We get extra marks for being prepared! You don't know what you will encounter in those missions."

Sakura is fairly certain that they will encounter dogs. And leashes, possibly. She is more concerned about Lee. His only predictable trait is how unpredictable he is.

Ino lectures her about the great fighters in history, and how one day, they will have to look pretty for the historians. They have to start small, but perfect looks aren't achieved in a day. It might intimidate some boys, but it will surely attract a lot of them. She knows this stuff like the palm of her hand.

Hinata sits through it without a word, staring blankly at the table with unfocused eyes. Her bowl of ice-cream melts before she even attempts to eat it. Sakura finishes her cone, having decided that no one can really out-argue Ino anyway. The Yamanaka herself gives an impassioned speech (accompanied with grandiloquent gestures) that draws the attention from a few customers. By the time she finishes, a couple of older teenagers in the next booth clap quietly.

"Hey." Ino invades Hinata's personal bubble and pokes her cheek, making her jump a little. "I can get you another bowl if you want."

The Hyūga glances at the unappealing slosh that she was supposed to eat, and apologises under her breath a dozen times. Ino pokes her again, grinning widely.

"You really shouldn't strain yourself so much. You won't get anywhere if you can't train because you injured yourself. Eating is important!" Ino repeats Lee's words, though her tone isn't much of a scolding.

"I- Sorry, Ino…" Hinata whispers, raising her gaze at least. Those bloody eyes seem at a loss, as if she couldn't really focus either her sight or her thoughts. "I'm just- just worried. About, well. Those missions."

Ino sits back down, raising her eyebrows. She beckons Hinata to continue by staring at her until she gets too uncomfortable. Under the table, Sakura reaches for her hand and squeezes it tight.

"What if- what if they are too d-difficult?" she mumbles, holding on tightly even as her fingers ache. "Maybe- Maybe the clients will be dissatisfied, and Lee-sensei will be in… trouble…" Her voice fades away.

Ino's eyes light up in sudden understanding, her inner detective clicking her fingers.

"You're scared of dogs!" she blurts out. Hinata recoils as if she had been struck, and Sakura gives Ino a surprised stare. "Why didn't you ever say it?" she trudges on, rolling over the poor Hyūga like an avalanche, as Hinata seemingly tries to blend in with the cushions. "You liked the Nara deer, and they're just about the same."

In her head, Hinata wants to say that this is most untrue. Deer don't have pointy teeth, and they move much more calmly. Outwardly, she just blushes. Ino looks like a cat that just caught a fat mouse.

"We'll get you the biggest dog," Ino concludes. "Don't worry! If something goes wrong, Lee-sensei will stop it before it gets bad. He's gotta be really good at this stuff by now. Besides, big dogs are always the nicest."

* * *

A thunderous sneeze shatters the peaceful atmosphere of the early afternoon.

"Don't let them escape! Cut them off, cut them OFF!"

Sakura throws herself forward valiantly, attempting to pin down one of the unruly mutts that Lee was supposed to walk. The dog in question dances around her with enviable grace, kicking dirt up onto her face and vanishing between some trash cans. She could have sworn it sneered at her.

It was supposed to be a D-rank mission! Those should be easier than most Academy exercises… No one told them they are ninja dogs in training, or that Lee picked this of all days to get a cold, associated sneezing fits included.

Lee catches up to her, picking her dejected form from the ground by the scruff of her shirt. He dusts her off and shakes her a little for good measure, depositing on her feet with no visible effort. Sakura sways dangerously, but manages to hold onto her balance in the last moment.

Around them, some pedestrians watch the show from the seats of various food shops. Sakura envies them, sheltered from the scorching late-midday sun while she runs around like a fool. At least, it's not one of the main streets of Konoha… She just hopes none of her classmates will see her.

They should have known, really. Lee took them to the client's house - a middle-aged ninja with graying hair, who handed them the five leashes unceremoniously, dogs attached. She should have paid more heed to the foreboding glint in the dogs' eyes.

Lee was very enthusiastic about handing Hinata the leash to a big, fluffy dog that seemed ready to melt onto the pavement. He praised her courage in taking on the most daunting of challenges, and she nodded meekly and held onto the leash harder than she should have. Ino walked a smaller, more elegant dog, cooing and jumping a little in her step.

Sakura stared back as she was handed the leash of a gaunt-looking mutt. They stared at each other, clearly at an understanding of how loud Lee is. That didn't stop the dog from taking off alongside the others, its long strides carrying it ahead of the pack.

The big, fluffy dog disappeared with Hinata in tow as she valiantly held onto the leash, swept off her feet. Sakura has no idea where she could be. Ino tried to shoot a net with one of her newly acquired ninja tools, but she missed by a mile and is still trying to untangle the thing, a few meters away.

"Phew, that was a truly unfortunate time to sneeze! Although, it could have gone worse," Lee smiles, seemingly unconcerned with their current predicament. He didn't even _try_ to stop the dogs from escaping! "Now we just have to find them."

"...'Just have to find them'? We can't even catch up to them from half a meter away!" Sakura exclaims, glaring at him. The effect is mostly lost, as she has to tilt her head back quite a bit. He beams down at her, brighter than the sun itself.

"That is true!" Lee responds in earnest.

He walks toward Ino and easily untangling the net for her. He drops it into her hands as she huffs and pushes hair out of her face. He takes a moment to take a handkerchief from… somewhere in his suit, wiping his irritated nose. A thick scarf curls itself around his throat, hiding the lower half of his face.

"Some foes will be stronger, faster, more physically capable than you are. However! You always have the chance to defeat them, if you use your wits and courage accordingly. You may not be able to do it alone, but those who endure will always have a chance to succeed. This shall be your challenge: capture at least one of them. We will reconvene in this street at sundown. I put my trust in you to be able to handle this mission."

And with that, he vanishes.

* * *

Ino stomps the ground, walking by Sakura's side through one of the dirtiest alleys either of them has ever seen. The scarce shade isn't much relief from the stuffy heat.

"This is just too much," the Yamanaka complains in a more than audible voice, tossing one of her gadgets from one hand to another. "I know he's crazy and all, but I didn't expect…" She waves her hands in the air, as if trying to catch the appropriate way to describe their situation.

"Something so absurd?" Sakura completes. Ino nods, frowning. "I think he knew. He had to know that the dogs would escape. It was a trap from the start."

"Of course I know that, it's obvious! He just let go of his leashes, there's no way anyone would have a cold in this weather..." her blonde friend replies with a huff. "I was just hoping for some actual training. Lee-sensei is always talking about doing all these heroic things, but then he goes and sticks us with this."

She goes off on a tirade about stupid mutts, and Sakura tunes her out with the ease of practised expertise. The cramped alleys open around them like a maze, a hiding spot behind every trash can and pile of garbage.

They search for Hinata during the better part of half an hour, but find neither her nor any of the dogs. Eventually, they emerge from the back alleys into a wider street, taking their first clean breaths in what feels like an eternity.

By then, Ino is more than mildly annoyed, and Sakura is starting to worry for the Hyūga heiress. The crowd around them is thin, yet their visibility is still almost null, when taking into consideration all the possible streets that they're missing. They trudge back toward the meeting point, in a last ditch hope of finding Hinata there. Upon their arrival, they confirm that she is nowhere to be seen.

"It's my fault, I made her take that leash…" Ino whispers, almost to herself.

Sakura hesitates, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. She releases her breath when Ino relaxes under her touch. "We'll find her," she says, sounding lame even to herself.

Ino nods, fire in her eyes. Sakura considers that she might be a little too into this mission. If only Lee was around to help them even _find_ the damn dogs. He just…

"...hopped on a roof and left…"

* * *

"Your methods are quite abrasive."

Lee eloquently sneezes in response. In front of him, Itachi ducks in a blur, hiding his plate away. Seated next to his fellow Uchiha, Shisui flashes in and out of sight, reappearing just a few centimeters out of blast range. A few of the restaurant's patrons jump in alarm for the umpteenth time, glaring daggers at their table.

"I learned from the best!" Lee replies in earnest, prompting Shisui to smirk. Itachi holds onto his food, ready to spring to action at a moment's notice. "I am certain that my pupils will be able to handle the situation accordingly."

A few minutes of silence pass, only interrupted by a few stray sneezing fits. Shisui pokes food around in his plate with one hand, drawing symbols made of his own blood on the underside of the table with the other. After a string of one-handed seals, the world around them becomes distorted and muffled, as if a waterfall separated them from everyone else.

"Is there any reason you're not eating, Lee?" Shisui comments as he leans onto his hands, elbows on the table. "I haven't even seen your face yet. And it's unlike you to… idle, especially in a situation like this."

Lee blinks, and then rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "I got a cold," is all he says. Shisui nods, pensive. They stare at each other for a decidedly long time, until Lee finally sighs and caves in. "While I was training," he whispers, shuffling in his seat and pushing the scarf higher.

 _You should be at the hospital._ The words die unsung, and Shisui sighs under his breath.

"I will carry you, if needed be," Itachi offers as he puts his plate aside. Lee nods, beaming. Ever the masterful conversationalist, Itachi attempts to shift the topic toward something easier to manage. "Did you notice any significant improvement in their abilities?"

"Quite! Their fighting hasn't become much more refined, but their strategies and skill have improved a lot. Their stamina is up to standard now. Hinata-san landed a hit today, thanks to cooperation with Ino-san's mind techniques. Sakura-san landed on me rather successfully, as well."

"She seems very fond of those kinds of strategies," says Shisui. "I think Naruto learned from her. The paint was hard to get off." He masterfully redirects his shame by staring at Itachi, who stares very primly at some place beyond the horizon.

Shisui is about to resort to underhanded techniques when his friend finally relents. The slightest expression of a blush blooms on Itachi's cheeks. "Hinata used a genjutsu that I… could not detect. A subtle distortion in the background. Half a minute passed before I noticed it."

"What's more, the effects of the sessions are wearing off quicker and quicker. I suspect that Ino is catching on to us," Shisui adds. "I don't think it will be long until they start asking questions and remember the answers," he turns his gaze to Itachi, whose face has become a dead mask. "And Sakura's problem is aggravating."

"She dreams of Neji, though she doesn't remember," says Itachi. "She has spoken of an Inner Self that expresses strong emotions within, used as a tool to remain calm in stressful situations. I have confirmed that Inner occupies the mirrored section of her mind, but it's impossible to access any deeper without significant psychological damage. Her memories revealed that lately, it has started to speak of its own accord about Hinata. Our sealwork has proven ineffective in subduing it, and its true nature remains unknown."

"...I did catch her muttering to herself while she was sneaking up on me. It was the only reason I noticed her in time," Lee muses, frowning. The expression doesn't fit him. "Have you found any leads toward the source of the split?"

"We can only speculate," Shisui responds. He untangles his hands and drums his fingers along the edge of the table. "I expect that our sealwork will hold at least until the girls' graduation. I trust that Ino will be able to put the pieces together in due time, but for now, we must maintain our focus on their growing potential as shinobi."

Instead of vanishing amongst jovial speeches, Lee's grim levity only deepens. He hangs his head a fraction of an inch, fists clenched by his sides.

"You speak of them as if they were not people," he whispers. His eyes light up with an inner fire, holding Shisui's gaze evenly. "These girls- _our_ girls. They have challenges ahead of them that they could not fathom. We should fuel their flame, so one day they might bloom, with the care to ensure they don't burn themselves out. If one day their minds break from the secrets within, nothing will save them."

Shisui doesn't back down, but he remains silent, fiddling with an ornate fork. The silence stretches like a taut wire, the air itself still as death.

"He will come back. If Hinata isn't ready by then, everything we have been doing will be moot. There is no room for kindness in a war zone," he says. After a moment, a small smile grazes his lips, and he tilts his head amicably. "I'm glad to know that everything is the same as always with you, Lee. Both your health and your stubbornness."

Immediately, Lee's tension fades away as he smiles back. A hardness remains in his eyes, however, as a reflection of his troubled thoughts. "I can say the same about you, my friends."

"Sasuke has been doing well. His grades are excellent," Itachi blurts out in a monotone, prompting the other two to turn at him, blinking. The Uchiha holds himself upright, and continues. "You always ask at this point of the conversation." A skilled shinobi might be able to pick out the smallest hint of defensiveness in his tone.

"What's gotten into you?" Shisui prods, invading his personal space to look at him closely. Itachi stares back with a bland expression, poking his forehead to push Shisui away. "You've been acting funny for a while. Normally, you are far more composed."

Itachi doesn't respond, his features turning indifferent, further damning himself as the culprit of _something_. Lee observes the exchange with a tinge of amusement.

"...I have a cold."

"A cold."

"Indeed."

Shisui's eyelashes flutter, and he closes in for the kill. "Could it be that your worry for a certain set of people has made you sick?"

Itachi remains still, his breaths shallow and eyes closed. Lee's expression has long been coated by ongrowing worry, but Shisui merely waits.

At last, Itachi only nods and stands up.

* * *

Hinata walks stiffly, arms wrapped around her waist and gaze fallen to the ground. Her steps drag after one another, fluid yet devoid of vitality. Sakura walks by her side, worry permeating every facial expression and her awkward gestures of reassurance. They are both dirty, skin littered by scrapes and bruises from their encounters with the ninja dogs. Ino stomps ahead of them, swinging her head around with a promise of retribution in her eyes.

It only took ten minutes to find Hinata, once Ino and Sakura took to the rooftops; however, an entire hour has passed without any success on catching the smallest glance of any of the dogs. They move together, only a few meters apart, in a triangle formation that they've rehearsed a hundred times in the Academy.

The air around them is heavy with the tension of a looming deadline. Even if they managed to get a hold of one of the canines, chances are that their asses would be thoroughly kicked, once more. No matter how much Ino swears that she just got caught off-guard.

Ino counts the minutes until she has to leave. It's not the first time that there has been friction between her and her duties, but Nara has been getting bolder by the day. If he showed up in the middle of the mission… It would be an unmitigated disaster. She can't let that happen.

None of her skills seem to be helping in the slightest. She is overheating, sweaty and her skin feels like it's going to end up burned. The only thing in her mind is to get this all over with and find a suitable excuse to disappear.

"It shouldn't be so difficult! They're just dogs! What the hell was Lee-sensei thinking?" Ino grumbles, loud enough to be heard by her teammates.

 _Please, stop… It's not your fault._

"He thought we would be able to do this, maybe he overestimated us after all," Sakura counters. The Hyūga heiress is flinching at every loud word, and the pinkette curses herself. She grits her teeth and steels herself to ask: "Ino-pig, could you please be more quiet? We won't ever find them if they can hear us from a mile away."

 _Don't stand in the way..._

Ino whips around and stops in place. Sakura senses that perhaps her choice of words was not the best. There is something dark, swimming behind Ino's eyes, that Sakura cannot name. Anger alone doesn't quite describe it - it's almost like desperation.

"We don't have time for this!" Ino retorts. "I don't- It's just a waste of time!"

 _Please, don't be mad._

Sakura wonders what it could be. Something has to be bothering her, that's it. Perhaps she is grumpy because of the weather? Sakura knows that her friend cares a lot about appearance. She herself cares, as well, but ninja training doesn't lend itself toward beauty.

"Maybe there's something we haven't thought about yet. Something Lee-sensei expected us to be able to do," Sakura considers. "There might be something we can think of, something we can do. The Academy books say that the the best way to lay out an ambush is to do individual recon, but Konoha is too big. There's too many alleyways. Sticking to the rulebook might be a bad idea."

 _Success is not possible, you should know better._

Ino's breaths are heavy and rapid, and her stance still carries an undercurrent of anger, but she nods and waves Sakura to continue. The pinkette in question gulps, steadying her breath. The pause in searching allows her to collect her thoughts.

"Why did we stick together?" she asks. "The Academy rulebook says that we should only do it if we were in a defensive ambush position, but the dogs don't seem to have any intention of showing up. A proper recon mission would see us a lot further apart, so we aren't so visible."

 _Fear of failure._

"I thought we were supposed to look as a group? We don't have a chance if we go on our own."

 _A group is weaker if any its members is a burden..._

"Exactly!" Sakura's eyes brighten. "We stuck as a group for the wrong reason, which is lack of confidence! Lee-sensei always spoke of us as a team. We only managed to land hits on him when we worked together. I think that he set us on a mission where the tables got turned on us right away, to throw us off. We let the panic get to us, and forgot that above all, we're shinobi, and not just a bunch of little girls," Sakura explains, wringing her hands together. "I have faith in him, because he believes in us. We can't disappoint him."

"The underneath below the underneath…" says Ino, smiling despite herself. "Stick as a group to bypass the rules, not because of fear." Sakura nods, brimming with enthusiasm.

Ino tucks a hand under her chin, nodding at the right points. Her gaze moves from one of her teammates to the other. Hinata seems so dazed that she might not even be listening, but that doesn't mean she isn't capable.

Ino's mind runs through the sparring exercises with Lee, who is a faster, stronger and more capable opponent than a filthy mutt. There has to be something they missed.

An idea comes to mind, and her resulting grin is almost devilish.

"Hina-chan." The Hyūga in question startles a little. "You need to use your Byakugan."

 _You don't know what you're asking..._

Hinata's eyes lose focus entirely, but there is no further reaction. She sways like a doll with its strings cut.

"What?" Sakura steps in front of Hinata almost defensively. "She can't do that!"

 _Can't… Can't..._

"Of course she can. It's the one thing we haven't tried yet. And it's the only reason we managed to land a hit on Lee-sensei. She used it then," Ino reasons, speeding up in her excitement. It will all be fine now! "We look for the dogs with it. You use one of your crazy plans, Forehead. And then, while they're distracted, I can use one of my clan's jutsu to catch them."

 _There is only one function to those who are nothing._

"She doesn't even know how to use it," Sakura retorts. "Kekkei genkai are harder to use than that. It could be dangerous."

 _To be of use to someone else._

"Think about it, though!" Ino replies, triumphant. It's the only answer, it has to be. "This is a new, harder exercise. We're supposed to push our skills further than ever. It makes sense!"

 _To give it all away for the one thing they're worth._

If Nara shows up to take her away, there will be questions that she can't answer…

Sakura stares at her in sheer disbelief, the outcome of her proposition now weighing over her like an executioner's blade. She opens her mouth to say something, but words escape her grasp. Ino takes this as an admission of defeat, and her smile grows.

"Hina-chan, what do you think?" The Haruno girl turns around. She freezes mid-motion. Her eyes are drawn toward Hinata's face, and her breath stops.

 _It shall never come to pass… that I can do nothing for you._

Hinata's eyes are bleeding, their soft pink color infused with bright blotches of red, spinning softly in her irides.

"I won't let you down," she whispers, her whole body trembling.

"Hina-chan, are you-" Sakura steps toward her, but the Hyūga turns on her heels and runs away. "Hey!" She chases after her, all thoughts of the plan forgotten.

"I think it's a trance," Ino suggests, catching up to Sakura. She fails to hide a note of worry in her voice. "Kekkei genkai can leave you dazed the first time you use them."

The pinkette swallows thickly, her recently acquired courage ripped away.

The Hyūga heiress runs at her fastest speed, still slower than both of them. Her movements are sharp and precise, and she starts to leave them behind. She seems to be heading toward the training grounds.

She doesn't answer to their calls or acknowledge their presence. Sakura and Ino speed up when they start to see splashes of blood left behind on the rooftops, but their bodies are far from peak physical condition.

At last, Hinata's feet touch the ground, twenty meters ahead of them. The buildings in this area are all low and flat, so they only lose sight of her for a moment. The Hyūga leaps over the fence that delimits the training grounds, rolling swiftly to her feet and taking off in a sharp angle to the right.

By the time her friends reach the fence, she has vanished among the trees of a grove.

The trees blur around them in a haze, the aches of their bodies distant.

They catch glimpses of her bulky, white and lavender clothes, dodging roots and low branches. There is no time to pause or speak.

They jump over another fence, and cross a winding river twice, before the trees clear away. Hinata's stamina ran out long ago, but she still moves fast enough that they can barely keep up, now fifty meters behind. She stumbles through a small meadow, collapsing several times.

At last, she stands up and freezes in place, staring ahead.

Sakura feels as if she might just throw up her lunch, and Ino has started to tire, but the prospect of catching up gives them newfound energy.

"Hina-chan!" Sakura hollers, coughing. She crawls the last meters on her knees and hands, coming to a stop at the Hyūga's heels. Her friend does not turn, her body still as stone. "Hinata…?"

She reaches out, Hinata spins on her heels, and the bones in her arm are shattered. The pain does not register for a few instants - Sakura is caught staring at Hinata's dead eyes, which are now composed of uniform pink-red. Her own body shudders, as if frozen needles coursed her veins.

The air around her distorts, and she finally hears the muffled voices that have been screaming at her for who knows how long. Ghost images superimpose her surroundings, and a shadow rises behind her friend. In the darkened world around them, the shadow's pale eyes gleam. Its edges are fuzzy, trembling in the air, as if it wasn't entirely real.

Sakura screams in pain and terror.

The shadow's distorted hands reach from behind Hinata. Slowly, almost gentle, they cover her eyes and smear red with her blood. At the touch, Hinata soils herself and crumbles to a heap, landing on her knees with a dull _thud_.

"You horrible little monster... What have you done?"

* * *

 **Facts of Interest (FoI):**

 _[1] Byakugan:_ ...I'll be honest, one of my pet peeves with canon Naruto is that there is so much exposition about jutsu/kekkei genkai that even a young genin should know about. It's possible to explain that "they are still a low-tier secret to noobs". Even if that was the case, _yes_ , Ino and Sakura know about the general gist of what the Byakugan is and does - because they've practically grown up with Hinata, who still has slips from time to time. _[/1]_

 _[2] Itachi:_ I have put a lot of thought into what I'd do with this character - it should be obvious by now that in some ways, he differs a lot from canon!Itachi. Perhaps, you could say he is more immature and less stoic. The façades he builds up are still pretty damn good, but they aren't quite as easy to see through. If you look closely, you'll realise that nearly every character has changed in similar ways in this 'verse. Does it still fit him? I sure as hell hope so. _[/2]_

 _[3] Meaning of Kotori:_ little bird. _[/3]_

 **Question time!** What do you think of Hinata's character motivations (especially, in contrast to canon)?


End file.
